Wildfires destroy forests in Hazara division during Eid days

MANSERHA: The wildfires have caused widespread destruction of pine and other precious trees in upper parts of Hazara Division during the Eid days, officials and locals said on Thursday

“We have put out wildfires at 11 forests during the first four days of Eid, and some are still raging, shattering jungles stretched over widely,” Amir Khadam, a Rescue 1122 official, told reporters.

The wildfires erupted in the Shinkiari forest range, Khattai in Agror, Koh-i-Behra, Batrasi, Kotkay, Jabori, Jaba, Kotli Bala, Balakot forest range during the first four days of Eidul Azha.

The wildfires, which according to locals, had broken out during the last week. And so in forests inaccessible to Rescue 1122 were still burning and destroying forests, they said.

The wildfire which had broken out in Khattai in the Agror forest range last week has still been raging and it couldn’t be put out as Rescue 1122, which was supposed to extinguish it, couldn’t move its fire squad because of inaccessibility from the recently established Oghi station.“We could only put out 11 blazes during the first four Eid days. And we are trying our utmost to minimise damage to forests and trees,” Amir Khaddam said.