Efforts continue to control Koh-e-Suleman blaze

Pakistan Army employing two helicopters in firefighting effort, Iran sends help

Authorities on Monday continued to battle the forest fire in the Koh-e-Suleman mountain range with the civil administration and the provincial and national disaster management authorities enlisting further help from the security forces and a neighbouring country to douse the blaze. 

A day earlier, the K-P government declared an emergency the raging fire continued to spread. In a statement, Minister for Local Government Faisal Amin Khan said three people died and four others were injured after being trapped in the fire.

The Pakistan Army and FC Balochistan are assisting the civil government in the relief efforts. Two Mi-17 helicopters of the Pakistan Army are participating in firefighting operations and were dropping water and chemicals to control the fire whereas the paramilitary force has established relief and medical camps in the area.

Efforts are underway to protect the life and property of the locals from the fire which has spread over an area of 8-10 km.

The NDMA has provided firefighting suits, fire extinguishers, firefighting balls and Dicalcium Phosphate (DCP) chemical bags whereas Rescue 1122 teams, individuals of PDMA, and the forest department are also participating in the operation.

Iran joins firefighting efforts

An Iranian firefighting aircraft landed in Pakistan today to join the effort to put out the forest fire at Koh-e-Suleman mountain range, located at the junction of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), Balochistan and erstwhile FATA.

The forest fire has been raging-on since May 18 in Balochistan's Sherani district. The fire has burnt down ancient pine trees and olive trees located in the dense ancient forest.

Read More: K-P govt declares emergency due to fire at Koh-e-Suleman

According to Attique-ur Rehman Kakar, a forest officer of the Balochistan Government based in the area, the forest initially caught fire in the Mughal Kot area on May 9. However, the flames entered Balochistan on May 13.

It later further erupted in various spots of the Koh-e-Suleman Range, he added.

It has reduced millions of trees to ashes, inflicting billions of rupees losses on the local communities who are dependent on the harvest of pine nuts for generations.