Fire wrecks protected forest on Margalla Hills

Blaze brought under control after 15 hours of operation

ISLAMABAD:

A huge fire destroyed a vast swathe of the area in the protected forest on Maragalla Hills.

The fire that broke out on Sunday at Trial-3 of the Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) was brought under control after strenuous efforts of almost 15 hours.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA), the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) and the Pakistan army jointly carried out the firefighting operation. The National Disaster Management Authority also assisted the capital's district administration by involving two helicopters.

A CDA official said that the firefighting operation was completed at 5am early on Monday morning. He said that around 150 firefighters took part to douse the massive fire. He said that the heavy fire affected a huge area of the protected forest.

Minister @sherryrehman appreciated the efforts of the firefighters who have shown extreme valour while fighting the forest fires in the Capital. She said, "These men work tirelessly in scorching heat to extinguish fires. Their efforts should be recognised and lauded." pic.twitter.com/cSVKJUEio4

— Ministry of Climate Change, Govt of Pakistan (@ClimateChangePK) June 8, 2022

An official of the IWMB said that the fire was reported at around 2pm at Trail-3. He said that almost 25 firefighters of IWMB rushed to the scene to assist the CDA firefighters who were struggling to extinguish the fire.

The official said that the CDA also called reinforcement additional 25 firefighters to join the efforts in dousing the fire. He said the fire was massive and was the work of subversive elements.

Fire erupts near Munal

Meanwhile, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a fresh fire has erupted in Margalla Hills near Munal.

In a statement, the military's media wing said that the Army aviation helicopter had been flown to assist the civil administration in the fire-fight.

It added that the helicopter would fly over the affected area carrying Bambi buckets to douse the flames.

The fire season that starts in April in Margalla Hills badly damages biodiversity and the environment. Though the IWMB and the CDA have set up pickets to patrol the area and contain forest fires, infernos continue to occur now and then.

Earlier, members of the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change visited the fire control room and pickets at the Margalla Hills National Park.

On the occasion, they were informed about the firefighting arrangements put in place by the IWMB and the CDA.

Earlier, officials had informed the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change that no fire incident occurred on Margalla Hills recently and TikToker Nosheen Syed, known as Dolly, set fire to a forest along the Hazara Motorway for a promotional video.

IWMB Chairperson Rina Saeed told the committee that the investigation into the bush fires had been completed and three arsonists have been arrested. She, however, said that no fire incident took place on the Margallaa Hills and both the fire incidents took place in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, where Tik Talker Dolly made a promotional video along the Hazara Motorway.

She said that the TikToker involved in glamorising bushfire had been taken to task, while three of her accomplices have been detained and a search for the remaining culprits was under way. Rina said that the board had completed the inquiry and the perpetrators were tracked, while the Divisional Forest Officer Abbottabad was pursuing the case.

With additional input from APP

Published in The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2022.