Several trees burnt in Waziristan forest fires

SPINKAI RAGHAZAI: A large number of trees were reduced to ashes on Thursday in fires that broke out at two different locations in Kaniguram town, South Waziristan Upper tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Local sources reported that the fires erupted in Jangal Pangey near Jalandhar and in the Soi Sari area, destroying several trees.They warned that the fires were spreading rapidly and could engulf the entire forest if not extinguished promptly.

Residents expressed frustration, stating that while numerous trees had already been lost and many more were at risk, the firefighting staff from Rescue 1122 was nowhere to be seen.A local elder, Mehmud Khan Mirdadkhel, initiated efforts to control the fires on a self-help basis.

The community urged the South Waziristan Upper deputy commissioner and the Kaniguram army brigade to deploy Rescue 1122 staff to combat the fires.They also called for action against the Rescue 1122 team for their failure to respond, which led to significant tree loss.Furthermore, the elders demanded an inquiry into the incident to prevent such occurrences in the future.