The situation of wildfires is still far from over in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) as a fireman was burnt to death and five others fainted while trying to bring a forest fire under control in Shangala district of the province on Thursday.
Talking to The Express Tribune an official of the Rescue 1122 said that the unfortunate firefighters reached the site of raging fire in Shangla, which started on Wednesday, after cumbersome rock-climbing.
He said they reached the spot after three hours of mountaineering for which they were not trained and they were ill-equipped too as they were provided only a ‘tree branch’ to control the fire because water tankers could not be moved uphill.
“There was a strong wind too which was spreading the fire as the black smoke covered the entire area and four firemen were caught in the sudden fire caused by the windstorm. Three firemen were burnt but they managed to escape to safety while one of them Nizamullah was caught completely off-guard,” said the official, adding that the unfortunate man was burnt to death.
The forest and wildlife department officials are nowhere to be seen and Rescue 1122 is doing it on its own, he added.
Dozens of fires are reported every day in the forests from across the province and the ill-equipped and trained Rescue 1122 is the first line of defence against the raging wildfires.
Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has already ordered a crackdown and inquiry against those people who are involved in arson.
On Thursday Kabal police registered an FIR against seven local tourists who are accused of going to the mountains on a picnic and starting a fire in Khema Darra, Kabal, Swat.
“The forest officer Kabal investigated the matter through his own sources and submitted an application for FIR against seven people for starting the wildfire,” said a police official while talking to The Express Tribune.
“These people cooked food there which resulted in the fire,” he said.
All the seven accused have been arrested and put behind bars.
Uncontrolled forest fires have been reported in several parts of Dir Upper, Swat, Shangla, Chitral, Mohmand and other districts.
Most tourists have been blamed for starting wild fires despite the fact that local shepherds and residents often start these fires to get rid of excessive bushes and it is almost an annual ritual.
On Wednesday at least 12 arsonists were arrested across the province.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 10th, 2022.
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