Islamabad, JULY23: 306 alarming forest fires occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the first half of the year. Approximately 122 of these events occurred in Abbottabad, making it the most affected area.
Malakand saw 23 fire incidences, compared to 45 in District Lower Dir. Both Orakzai and Battagram reported 19 instances apiece, seriously damaging large tracts of forest.The information shows that Swabi reported 17 fires, Upper Dir had 10, Mardan had 9, Karak had 8, and Mohmand had 6 events. Furthermore, there were four fires in each of D.I. Khan, Kohat, and Khyber. Three occurrences were recorded by Buner, Lower Chitral, Shangla, and North Waziristan; two instances were reported by South Waziristan.
There was one fire in each of Tank and Bajaur. After a six-day operation, the fire on Lower Dir’s Badwan Adan Zai Hill was contained. A representative of the KP Forest Department stated that about 1,918 hectares of forest area were damaged by 249 fire events across the province.
According to the official, both private and public properties were impacted by these fires. The fires were started by carelessness, unintentional sparks, and natural elements like lightning.The agency has responded to the increased number of fire occurrences by initiating public awareness initiatives. The goal of these efforts is to inform the public on safety precautions, how to prevent fires, and what to do in the event of a fire.
