Firefighters fail to extinguish forest fire in Lower Dir

CHAKDARA: Scores of Rescue 1122 personnel backed by a helicopter have been unable to extinguish the fire raging at the Ghazo Osakai mountain in Lower Dir for the last five days. The inferno has reduced the precious trees to ashes.

Rescue 1122 officials numbering over 70 from Malakand, Lower Dir and Swat have been making efforts albeit unsuccessful to douse the flames that engulfed the entire forest five days ago.

A helicopter was also arranged to help extinguish the fire but to no avail. The fire-fighters were unable to put out the fire due to high temperature, inaccessible site and the wind.The fire burnt trees, bushes and affected the habitat of the wildlife. The people living close to the forests were evacuated from the area and moved to a safer place. The officials from the Civil Defence, Forest Department and local volunteers took part in the operation to control the fire. It could not be known how the fire started. Last year many similar incidents took place wherein forests and Swat and Dir caught fire, burning precious trees. The local people have expressed concern over the incident and demanded the government to launch a proper investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire.