ISLAMABAD: In preparation of forest fire incidents at Margalla hills in the summer, the Emergency and Disaster Management Unit of Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad has sought a report from the Forest directorate on the state of preparedness to avoid such incidents.

Forest fires usually occur at Margalla Hills between May and July when the dry grass and wood can easily catch fire. In May 2016, eight wildfire cases were reported in the Margalla Hills. With the onset of summer, the E&DM unit has moved to avoid and minimise the losses.

Additional Director E&DM, CDA has sent a letter to the Director CDA, asking him to state whether he has undertaken all the necessary measures in the wake of possible fire incidents. The letter said that these incidents at Margalla Hills have become a routine since many years and the directorate has never taken the E&DM Unit into confidence on the subject. It said that the concerned authorities were unable to review the policy and evolve a strategy that would help check such incidents as they have no idea about the state of preparedness. The directorate has also been asked about the field staff, equipment and other available resources with it besides availability of helicopter in case the fire area is inaccessible. 

Carelessness on part of the visitors is the main cause of fire incidents in the Margalla Hills. People throwing cigarettes and burning matches causes such incidents which usually engulf a vast area thus causing loss to timber and environment. The hills are spread over 12,605 hectares and witness a number of small and large fires every summer.

CDA’s Environment Wing deploys hundreds of officials to curb the incidents in the hills besides fire pickets but all in vain. In order to enforce effective monitoring, CDA has set up around 30 pickets in the Margallas. Fire tenders, along with over 50 officials from Emergency and Disaster Management Unit have also been deployed at Pir Sohawa, who will work in shifts to assist the Environment Wing in case a forest fire breaks out. Army Aviation helicopters will be used in case the fire is in an inaccessible area.