BATKHELA: Forest fires that erupted in several mountainous areas of Malakand district continued to rage for a second consecutive day on Saturday, as strong winds and intense heat hampered efforts to bring the blaze under control.
According to sources, fires that broke out in the mountainous regions of Meekh Band, Sangina and Ala Dhand Dheri in Batkhela tehsil were still burning at multiple locations. Personnel of Malakand Levies, Rescue 1122 and local residents remained engaged in firefighting efforts, but difficult terrain, soaring temperatures and strong winds made containment challenging.
The fires engulfed large swathes of forestland, causing extensive damage to valuable trees and wildlife. However, authorities managed to extinguish a separate wildfire that had broken out in the Jaban mountain area of Dargai.
Deputy Commissioner, Malakand, Fayyaz Khan Sherpao told The News that an investigation had been launched and a case would be registered against those responsible for setting the fire on the mountain.
In Sangina, the residents and rescue teams continued joint efforts to contain the blaze, but had achieved little success due to the intensity of the fire.
Residents and social circles urged the relevant authorities to take immediate and effective measures to prevent further destruction of forests and protect the area’s natural resources.
Meanwhile, a heavy wildfire, which broke out due to unknown reasons in dense forest, widely damaged flora and fauna and polluted the air in the Dadar area of the district on Saturday.
“We moved personnel from various departments along with fire tenders and brought the heavy blaze under control after hectic efforts lasting several hours,” Ilyas Ahmad, the assistant commissioner of Baffa-Pakhal, told reporters.
The fire, which broke out in the early hours of the day, continued for the rest of the day, destroying trees and damaging flora and fauna over a vast area.
According to eyewitnesses, besides fire tenders, personnel of Rescue 1122, the tehsil municipal administration and the forest department also used sand and mud to extinguish the blaze in areas deep inside the forest where vehicular access was not possible.
He said that the fire, which ripped through a vast stretch of forest, caused thick smoke that spread across the area and rose high into the sky, triggering pollution in populated areas.
According to rescue officials, the dense forest near the once-renowned tuberculosis sanatorium in Asia, now a mental hospital, caught fire over a wide area.
“The firefighters not only brought the fire under control after hectic efforts lasting several hours but also prevented it from spreading to nearby settlements,” said Ilyas Ahmad.
The AC said that, fortunately, no loss of life was reported in the blaze.
“We have yet to determine the exact cause of the fire, but people visiting forests should not throw inflammable material or cigarettes there, as dry fallen pine straws and timber in Hazara’s forests can catch fire rapidly and cause wildfires,” he went on to add.
He said that the district administration had launched an investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the fire and that if anyone was found involved, legal action would be taken under the relevant laws.
