Balochistan wildfire put out with Iran’s help

Wasay announces compensation for affected villagers

QUETTA:

The devastating wildfire in the Koh-e-Suleman mountains range was finally extinguished on Tuesday, with the government ordering an inquiry into the tragedy and putting in place more stringent measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.

The fire in the famous pine forests in the Sherani district of Balochistan was put out after Iran provided a specially modified aircraft for the firefighting operations, Federal Housing Minister Maulana Abdul Wasay announced.

“The fire has been completely brought under control,” Wasay told a news conference in Quetta, where provincial Minister Noor Muhammad Dumar, Balochistan Chief Secretary Abdul Aziz Uqaili and others were also present.

The fire that started spreading at a fast pace on May 18 had destroyed a large part of the ancient pine and olive forest – the main source of income for thousands of local framers. Wasay said that the government has already announced compensation for the families of those who lost their lives.

The minister also announced that the provincial government would pay compensation to the people injured in the wildfire. “Forest guards and civil administration officials are still in the forest,” he said. “We will consult the environmentalist on the national level for replanting of pine and olive trees.”

The federal government had requested the neighbouring country Iran to provide a special firefighting aircraft to extinguish the wildfire which was quickly provided. This plane joined the firefighting efforts on Tuesday and it was able to extinguish it in a short span of time.

Chief Secretary Uqaili told reporters that an inquiry had been ordered to investigate the incident and fix responsibility. He added that both the provincial and the federal governments were working to rehabilitate the affected people.

Simultaneously, Balochistan Home and Tribal Affairs Department issued a notification, imposing a ban on fire, camping, and cooking in all the forests located in the province. The department directed the deputy commissioners concerned to ensure the implementation of the government's order.

The government made this decision because of a looming danger of fire eruption in the forests located in Zhob, Sherani, Kalat, Kohlu, Ziarat and other parts of Balochistan because of drought conditions and climate crisis, the notification stated.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was informed that rescue measures to check the wildfire in Sherani and Musakhel districts had been beefed upon his direction, while special teams had been constituted for the rescue and relief operations.

According to a report about the firefighting operation in Balochistan presented by the provincial government to the prime minister, the staff of the forest department had been directed to spend 75% of their duty hours in the field.

The report said that a special task force had been notified for the Sherani district, which was working round the clock. A camp office of the forest secretary had also been established in Sherani to oversee the rescue operation.

“The equipment provided by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), including three ambulances, fire truck, van, satellite vehicle, fireballs and firefighting vehicles, are taking part in the operation,” it added.

“The federal government and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) are extending all-out support to the provincial government. Pakistan Army has also established a base camp in the affected area for relief operation.”

The prime minister was further informed that a firefighting aircraft, which took part in the operation in Balochistan, would now take part in the rescue and relief operation to check the forest fire in Dera Ismail Khan.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)