While temperatures continue to skyrocket through Punjab, the province has witnessed an increase in forest fire incidents.
However, a rapid and coordinated action of the Punjab forest department as part of its fire emergency intervention system has helped prevent significant damage to the precious forest resources in the province.
According to a spokesperson for the forest department, three fire incidents were reported on June 10 in the forests of Murrier and Attock.
The first incident occurred at 7:00 p.m. in Sumbli Forest Compartment 85 (Murrier District), the second at 9:00 p.m. in Kotli Forest Compartment 20 (Murrier District), and the third was reported at 2:00 am in Compartment 15 of the Attock Khurd forest.
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The field staff formed from the forest department responded quickly and professionally, bringing the three fires together before they can spread. The fires affected a total of 3.5 acres of undergrowth and grass, but no loss of life or major material damage has been reported.
The spokesperson warned that with the continuous increase in temperatures during the summer, the risk of forest fire remains high. Citizens were invited to refrain from lighting fires or smoking near wooded areas to prevent such incidents.
The department also reported two previous fire epidemics in the Karor forest of Kotli Sattian and the common forests of Lehtarar.
The two fires were mastered in a few hours by fire fighting teams, with a minimum of damage limited to vegetation on a few acres and no victim or financial loss.
The forest department maintains a high alert state and is fully ready to respond to any urgency.
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The spokesman stressed that, on the directives of the chief minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, a complete strategy is being implemented to reduce forest fire incidents and protect the natural environment of the province and wooden ecosystems.
Last month, part of the forest of Muhammad Khan caught fire at night, mainly destroying wild plantations and around 50 mature trees, on land between seven and 10 acres. The forest, spread over 181 acres of land, is located in Kathri in the jurisdiction of the Hatri police station.
The district forest officer, Rizwan Memon, told L’Express PK Press Club that, fortunately, no harm in life, or houses near the forest, occurred in the incident.
However, he said that the exact amount of losses has not yet been evaluated, because Friday, the burned parts of the forest could not be visited due to the burning heat and freshly burned hot soil.
