MARDAN : Army helicopters and personnel of Rescue 1122 and other departments have engaged in extinguishing fire erupted on the Karamaar mountains between Mardan and Swabi districs since June 4, sources said on Friday.
They said that the fire has started from the Karamaar mountain situated near Mardan to Swabi. According to a statement issued by the ISPR, the Army helicopters are engaged to extinguish the fire by regularly throwing water on the fire.
The Inter Services Public Relations press release issued in Rawalpindi on Friday said the helicopters made nine sorties carrying Bambi Buckets to overpower the blaze. The firefighting operation was continuing.
Bilal Jalal, a spokesman of Rescue 1122 Mardan, said the fire-fighting operation was going on to douse the fire at the Karamaar Mountain. However, the fire was spreading towards the surrounding areas of Karnel Sher Khan Cadet College Swabi. He said that DG PDMA Parvez Khan was also present on the spot to supervise the fire-fighting operation. He added that 50 rescue employees, two fire-brigade vehicles and two ambulances of Rescue 1122, 200 people including employees of Forest Department were taking part in the fire-fighting process.
It may be noted here that the fire had erupted at the mountain since June 4 which destroyed large part of the forest.