Devastating forest fire continues to rage in in Balochistan

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Relief efforts, spearheaded by Pakistan Army and Balochistan FC, are underway to control the fire in a pine forest near Shergali in Balochistan’s Sherani district, the military said in a statement.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the fire began on May 18 and yet to be brought under control. "Balochistan PDMA in coordination with NDMA is steering relief effort and organising firefighting activity," it added.

The military’s media wing said that the army and Balochistan FC are providing maximum assistance, adding that Quetta Corps is also coordinating closely with the PDMA.

"Fire is mostly on mountain tops (10,000 feet high) away from population centres but continues to spread due to hot weather, inaccessible nature of the terrain and dry winds," the statement said.

The ISPR said that the nearest village is approximately eight to ten kilometres away from the location of the fire, adding that about 10 families residing in isolated houses have been shifted to the medical relief camp established in Manikhawa by Balochistan FC.

Highlighting the details of the rescue operation, it said that FC wing and two army helicopters along with local administration and levies have been employed for firefighting and relief efforts. "One helicopter is being used to drop water and the other is being used to drop fireball and fire extinguishing chemicals on the fire," it added.

The military's media wing further said that 400 fireballs, 200 fire suits, blankets, tents, mats and fire extinguishing equipment have been provided by NDMA through Balochistan FC.

It further said that the army has also transported relief equipment from Lahore to Zhob.

At least three people were killed when a burning log fell on them in Sherani. They were trying to extinguish the fire. Four people sustained serious burn injuries in the incident.

Local residents claimed that fire erupted in the adjacent Mughal Kot area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) province on May 9 and local levies and forest guards tried to extinguish it on their own but due to difficult terrain they failed.

Koh-e-Sulaiman is also known for being the world’s largest chilghoza (pine nut) forest on higher elevations. The 26,000-hectare forest produces around 640,000 kilogrammes of chilghozas annually.

Express Tribune

 

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A devastating forest fire continued to rage in different parts of the Koh-i-Sulaiman range on Saturday, with officials fearing that it may spread to populated areas.

The army, provincial and federal disaster management authorities and other departments are struggling to douse the flames.

The fire started a week ago after the area was struck by lightning and has since engulfed hundreds of trees dotting the mountain range, home to the world’s largest pine nuts (chilghoza) forest and connects Balochistan, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

It has now turned into a raging inferno, forcing several residents of nearby villages to move to safer locations. Different species of animals and birds are also under threat.

Balochistan Chief Minister Qudoos Bizenjo, Maulana Wasey and Commander 12 Corps Lt Gen Sarfraz Ali and other officials concerned visited Shirani district and reviewed the situation.

On the occasion, CM Bizenjo announced Rs1 million each for the families of three people who lost their lives and Rs500,000 for each injured. He said the federal government would also announce compensation for the fire victims.

Federal Minister for Housing and Works Maulana Abdul Wasey said Iran had provided a special plane to Pakistan to douse fire and it would start its operation on Sunday (today).

Chief Secretary Balochistan Abdul Aziz Aqili visited Shirani district on Saturday to review the operation carried out to extinguish the fire, which has spread to an area within a seven-kilometre radius from the point of origin.

He said the federal government should seek help from international institutions to launch a massive firefighting exercise.

Commissioner Zhob Bashir Ahmed Bazai, Deputy Commissioner Sherani Ijaz Ahmed and other officials concerned gave a briefing about the measures taken so far to control the fire.

“Special measures are needed to bring the fire under control as it has engulfed large areas of mountains,” Mr Bazai said.

Hot weather, inaccessible terrain

Meanwhile, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement that Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan were providing all-out assistance to local administration in putting out the fire.

Provincial and national disaster management authorities were steering relief efforts and organising firefighting activity, it said.

“Fire is mostly on mountain tops (10,000 feet high) away from population centres but continues to spread due to hot weather, inaccessible nature of the terrain and dry winds; nearest village is approximately eight to 10 kilometres away from the location of the fire,” it said.

However, 10 families residing in isolated houses have been shifted to a medical relief camp established in Manikhawa by FC Balochistan, it added.

An FC wing and two army helicopters, along with local administration and Levies have been employed in firefighting and relief efforts.

One helicopter was being used to drop water and another to drop fireball and fire extinguishing chemicals to put out the fire.

As many as 400 fireballs, 200 fire suits, blankets, tents, mats and fire extinguishing equipment were provided by National Disaster Management Authority through FC Balochistan.

The army has also transported relief equipment from Lahore to Zhob, it added.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2022

 

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Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) spokesperson Hafiz Hamdullah on Sunday strongly criticised the government's response to the unabating forest fire in the Sherani district of Quetta in Balochistan.

Hamdullah stated that the forest fire has become extremely dangerous, as flames have grown to engulf a vast area of 40 square kilometers.

The spokesperson added that three people had died as a result of the fire, while several others sustained injuries according to the police.

As the forest continues to burn, the spokesperson said, “why did the state, provincial and federal governments remain silent for 13 days?” He claimed that no significant steps have been taken at any level to control the fire in the region.

Expressing disappointment in the lack of government response, Hamdullah stated that after 13 days a plane has been ordered from Iran to help with the fire-fighting efforts, as an act of charity.

“A nuclear state does not even have the resources to put out fires,” the spokesman added.

Referring to the incident of TikToker Nosheen Syed, who allegedly started a fire at Margalla Hills, the PDM spokesperson stated that government officials and the media paid greater heed to the act than the fires in Balochistan. “The forest fire of Sherani had not been discussed anywhere for 12 days since it began,” he added.

He questioned whether there is any difference between the forests of Sherani and those in Islamabad.

The uncontrolled inferno, which started in the ancient pine and olive forests in Koh-e-Suliman range of Balochistan’s Sherani and Musakhail districts, has been spreading despite all the efforts of the local residents and provincial government to control it.

The government faces backlash as they failed to respond to the fire when it could have been extinguished through the use of helicopters, however, it has now spread over a vast area.

“We are completely helpless, the federal government should do something and send experts as well as machinery for firefighting,” a senior government official told The Express Tribune on phone.

Reportedly, thousands of farmers have lost their only source of income in the uncontrolled fire in Musakial and Sherani district of Balochsitan pine forests as the area is famous for the production of quality pine nuts.

It has reduced millions of trees to ashes inflicting billions of rupees losses on the local communities who are dependent on the harvest of pine nuts for generations.

On Saturday, Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Quddus Bizenjo, Commander 12-Corps Lieutenant General Sarfaraz Ali and Federal Minister for Housing Maulana Abdul Wasey visited Zhob to monitor the firefighting activity.

Commissioner Zhob Division, Bashir Ahmed Bazai and Secretary Forest, Dostain Jamaldini briefed them about the ongoing operation and fire situation.

Express Tribune

 

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The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government on Sunday has declared an emergency following the raging fire at Koh-e-Suleman mountain range located in the junction of the province, Balochistan and erstwhile Fata.

In a statement, Minister for Local Government Faisal Amin Khan said three people died and four others were injured after being trapped in the fire.

He said security forces, rescue organisations and locals were working to contain the major fire on the Balochistan side while teams and machinery on the K-P side were simultaneously also working to create access to the terrain.

The minister said that the lack of water at the site and steep cliffs make it extremely difficult to approach the location.

He said chilghoza, pine and olive trees over 400 acres on the K-P side have been affected as the strong winds are enhancing the intensity of the fire.

Khan said the chief minister of K-P issued instructions to all departments for cross-border support to protect people and natural resources.

Meanwhile, on the directives of the CM of Balochistan, the provincial chief secretary has established a task force, led by Secretary Forest, to implement rescue and relief operations of extinguishing the fire on the pine trees in the Sherani district.

Read Thousands lose livelihood in S

According to an official handout, the task force will coordinate with federal and provincial departments, and national and international donors for rehabilitation operations through appropriate channels.

The task force will also assess damages to properties, and the loss of human lives and submit reports on a daily basis.

Thousands of farmers have lost their only source of income in the uncontrolled fire in the Musakial and Sherani districts of Balochistan pine forests, an area famous for the production of quality pine nuts.

The fire has engulfed an area of 30 square kilometres and every effort to bring it under control has failed due to a lack of resources, proper equipment as well as timely response.

The fire was first reported 12 days ago and it spread quickly in the Koh-e-Suleman range, which is home to the world’s largest pine forest.

It has reduced millions of trees to ashes, inflicting billions of rupees losses on the local communities who are dependent on the harvest of pine nuts for generations.

Express Tribune

 

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Iranian firefighting aircraft to join operation as Balochistan forest inferno rages on

A firefighting airplane provided by Iran is expected to start aiding in efforts to extinguish the forest fire which has been raging since days in Balochistan's Koh-i-Suleman range, Forest Officer Ateeq Karar said on Monday.

A spokesperson for the Iranian consulate in Quetta said that the plane, Ilyushin 76, is the "biggest firefighter aircraft" in the world and would land at Rawalpindi's Nur Khan Airbase today.

The airplane would remain in Pakistan till the fire has been extinguished, the spokesperson added.

The fire in the Shirani forest started a week ago after the area was struck by lightning and has since engulfed hundreds of trees dotting the mountain range, home to the world's largest pine nuts (chilghoza) forest and connecting Balochistan, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

It has now turned into a raging inferno, forcing several residents of nearby villages to move to safer locations. Different species of animals and birds are also under threat.

The army, provincial and federal disaster management authorities and other departments are struggling to douse the flames. Three people have lost their lives so far while three others have been badly injured.

The blaze continues to rage in an area spanning 20 kilometres in Shara Gulghai and 15km in Toorghardana, Forest Officer Kakar said.

Zhob Commissioner Bashir Ahmed Bazai also confirmed to Dawn.com that the fire had spread over a 25-35 kilometre-radius.

"Pine trees dating back more than 1,000-1,500 years are located in the forest. A pine tree starts giving fruit after 25 years. These [areas] are part of the world's largest pine forest," Kakar said.

The fire is expected to have damaged a large number of trees. The final tally of burnt trees will be confirmed after the fire has been extinguished, allowing officials to conduct a survey.

Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo said that the provincial government had stepped up efforts to douse the fire.

In a statement, he said all resources were being utilised and the federal government was also fully cooperating on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's instructions.

The Balochistan government had started relief work since the day the fire began, he said, adding that Pakistan Army was helping in battling the blaze.

"Chemicals and water are being sprayed via helicopters," he further said.

The chief minister lamented the "large-scale damage" and said he was grieved at the loss of livelihood associated with the Shirani forest.

The government would not abandon its people at a difficult time, he assured.

Bizenjo earlier announced Rs1 million each for the families of three people who lost their lives and Rs500,000 for each injured. He said the federal government would also announce compensation for the fire victims.

"Fire is mostly on mountain tops (10,000 feet high) away from population centres but continues to spread due to hot weather, inaccessible nature of the terrain and dry winds; nearest village is approximately eight to 10km away from the location of the fire," the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement last week.

A Frontier Corps wing and two army helicopters, along with local administration and Levies have been employed in firefighting and relief efforts.

One helicopter was being used to drop water and another to drop fireball and fire extinguishing chemicals to put out the fire.

As many as 400 fireballs, 200 fire suits, blankets, tents, mats and fire extinguishing equipment were provided by National Disaster Management Authority through FC Balochistan.

Last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz ordered authorities to take urgent steps to control the fire.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1691111/i...ration-as-balochistan-forest-inferno-rages-on

 

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Authorities on Monday continued to battle the forest fire in the Koh-e-Suleman mountain range with the civil administration and the provincial and national disaster management authorities enlisting further help from the security forces and a neighbouring country to douse the blaze.

A day earlier, the K-P government declared an emergency the raging fire continued to spread. In a statement, Minister for Local Government Faisal Amin Khan said three people died and four others were injured after being trapped in the fire.

The Pakistan Army and FC Balochistan are assisting the civil government in the relief efforts. Two Mi-17 helicopters of the Pakistan Army are participating in firefighting operations and were dropping water and chemicals to control the fire whereas the paramilitary force has established relief and medical camps in the area.

Efforts are underway to protect the life and property of the locals from the fire which has spread over an area of 8-10 km.

The NDMA has provided firefighting suits, fire extinguishers, firefighting balls and Dicalcium Phosphate (DCP) chemical bags whereas Rescue 1122 teams, individuals of PDMA, and the forest department are also participating in the operation.

Express Tribune

 

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QUETTA:The raging fire that devastated Koh-e-Sualiman pine and olive forest in Balochistan’s Sherani district was finally extinguished on Tuesday after Iran joined hands with the Pakistani authorities in their efforts to save wildlife and civilians.

The federal government had reached out to Iran and asked them to provide a special firefighting aircraft to combat the forest fire.

"Fire has been brought under control and extinguished," Federal Minister for Housing Maulana Abdul Wasey told a news conference in Quetta on Tuesday.

Express Tribune