Forest fire in Talash Valley brought under control after 48 hours

TIMERGARA: The fire that broke out in forests in Talash Valley on Monday evening was brought under control after 48 hours following hectic efforts made by officials of Forest Department, Lower Dir, an official said on Tuesday.

The fire engulfed hundreds of pine trees in the forest spreading over about four kilometres area. Talking to The News by phone, Divisional Forest Officer, Lower Dir, Muhammad Farooq claimed that the inferno may have caused by the dry twigs of pine trees.

He added that officials of the Forest Department along with the local community and schoolchildren doused the fire after hectic efforts. “Today I visited the Government High School Shamshi Khan Talash and thanked the principal Aftab Alam for sending students who helped the officials to extinguish the fire,” Muhammad Farooq said.

He added that 100 personnel of the Levies force and 100 volunteers of the Civil Defence would stay on the spot till morning to oversee the situation. Muhammad Farooq said probe would be conducted into the matter to ascertain the cause of the fire.