KP faces surge in forest fire incidents

PESHAWAR: In an ironic twist, 306 fire incidents were recorded in the forests of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the first six months of this year.

Official records reveal that the highest number of incidents occurred in the district of Abbottabad, with around 122 fires. District Lower Dir reported 45 incidents, while Malakand experienced 23 fires, significantly damaging forest areas. Districts Orakzai and Battagram each reported 19 incidents.

The data also shows 17 incidents in Swabi, 10 in Upper Dir, nine in Mardan, eight in Karak, and six in Mohmand. Additionally, four incidents each were recorded in the districts of Khyber, D.I. Khan, and Kohat. Buner, Lower Chitral, Shangla, and North Waziristan each reported three incidents, while South Waziristan saw two forest fires. One incident was reported in Tank and Bajaur each. The fire in Lower Dir’s Badwan Adan Zai Hill was brought under control after a six-day-long operation.

An official from the KP Forest Department confirmed that 249 fire incidents occurred in the province, damaging around 1,918 hectares of forest land. He informed this correspondent that fire incidents were reported on both public and private properties. He explained various causes of these fires, including negligence, accidental sparks, and natural factors such as lightning.

In response to the alarming frequency of these incidents, the department has initiated public awareness campaigns. These campaigns aim to educate the community about fire prevention, the importance of maintaining safety measures, and the steps to take during a fire. The goal is to reduce the risk of future fires and to ensure a prompt and efficient response when incidents do occur.

Despite written assurances, the forests secretary neither shared any details or reports regarding the fire incidents nor provided any information about the arrest or punishment of the culprits.

Civil society members have called for a thorough investigation into the forest fires across various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, urging authorities to take decisive action to prevent future occurrences and to protect the region’s valuable forest resources.

“The forest reserves are already under stress in Pakistan owing to demographic explosions and climate change. Already ranked as the top high-risk nation in the region, the loss of huge forest tracts and fragile ecosystems is an existential threat to Pakistan’s future,” said Adil Zareef, convener of the Sarhad Conservation Network, a leading non-governmental organisation striving to conserve the environment.

He said blaming the infernos on dry weather, local enmities, or accidental grass fires amounts to the government shrugging off responsibility in the face of grave ecological and man-made challenges. Adil Zareef said that so many incidents cannot be purely accidental. The government should arrest the culprits and take action to restore public confidence.