Firefighters battle new round of forest fires on Margalla Hills

PM's coordinator says fire in front of E-9 hills of high intensity; CDA, PN officials engaged in firefighting efforts

ISLAMABAD:

Firefighters battled a new round of forest fires on Margalla Hills on Friday just days after the previous ones were extinguished.

Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Romina Khursheed Alam said that a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) helicopter had been dispatched to the affected area to assist in extinguishing the fire.

Representatives from the district administration, Capital Development Authority (CDA), and Pakistan Navy, were actively involved in firefighting efforts at the site.

Deputy Commission (DC) Islamabad, Irfan Nawaz Memon also assured that fires will be brought under control.

The PM's coordinator reported the situation stating, "There is a fire at two places on Margalla Hills...a high-intensity fire in front of E-9 Hills."

She added that the ministry was coordinating with relevant authorities, including the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Read Margalla Hills wildfire

Romina added that a team from the Pakistan Navy was actively participating in the firefighting efforts, alongside personnel from the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation, adding that authorities have also requested support from the Sikh Aviation Squadron.

"The Ministry of Climate Change is in contact with all relevant agencies. I am personally monitoring the situation," she affirmed.

Moreover, she mentioned that the PAF dispatched a second helicopter to enhance firefighting operations.

Earlier this week, a fire broke out on Saidpur Range Trail 3 and spread towards Noor Pur Range which was extinguished on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, on Monday, three separate fires flared up across the Margalla Hills.

Spread over 12,605 hectares, the Margalla Hills witness many fire incidents during summer every year.

Earlier this month, on May 24, the CDA said the wildfire erupted in the scenic Margalla Hills National Park in the late evening hours due to heatwave impact and strong winds that raged the fire in the three kilometres stretch of the Loi Dundee area of the federal capital.

Around 150 personnel from the CDA and the Ministry of Climate Change put out the fire.