Shangla fire doused after two days

BISHAM: The fire that broke out in a forest in Kormang Union Council here was extinguished by the Forest Department officials after hectic efforts in the last two days, officials said on Sunday.

Officials said that a mud-thatched house and a mosque were also reduced to ashes by the raging flames that spread within no time over a tract of 200 acres of land in Khwalai Banda. "It's a pasture. And the locals shift their cattle there in summer," said a local.

Though it couldn't be ascertained as to how the fire originated, some local people claimed that the forests were set on fire by the land and timber mafia with the connivance of the staffers of the departments concerned. Dozens of precious trees and bushes were also destroyed by the fire.

Divisional Forest Officer Amjad Ali Khan told The News that more than 50 forest guards and Nigahban Force had made efforts to extinguish the fire. "We reached the area where the fire had broken out after walking on foot for more than four hours," he said and rejected the reports that the fire spread into Kohistan side.

The official maintained that an inquiry would be conducted to find out as to what had caused the fire. Muhammad Irfan, an official of the Revenue Department, said that water supply to some areas had been stopped as the fire had damaged the water supply pipes.

The fire had broken out on Thursday evening in the Gandorai area adjoining the mountains of Bisham city, and the blaze spread rapidly because of strong winds.