As temperatures continue to hover over Punjab, the province has witnessed an increase in forest fire events.
However, rapid and coordinated action from Punjab Forest Department during his brand preparedness system has helped prevent any significant damage to the province’s valuable forest resources.
According to a spokesman for the forest department, three fire events were reported on June 10 in the forest in Murree and Attock.
The first event took place at. 19:00 in room 85 in Sumbli Forest (Murree District), the second at. 21.00 in room 20 in Kotli Forest (Murree District), and the third was reported at 1 p.m. 02:00 in room 15 in Attock Khurd Forest.
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Educated field staff in the forest department responded quickly and professionally and brought all three fires under control before they could spread. Fires affected a total of 3.5 hectares of undergrowth and grass, but no loss of life or major property damage was reported.
The spokesman warned that with the ongoing increase in temperatures during the summer, the risk of forest fires remains high. Citizens have been invited to refrain from lighting fire or smoking near wooded areas to prevent such events.
The department also reported two previous fire outbreaks in the Karor’s forest in Kotli Sattian and the common forests of Lehtarar.
Both fires were brought under control within a few hours of fire fighting teams, with minimal damage limited to vegetation over a few hectares and no losses or financial loss.
The forest department maintains a state of high alarm and is fully prepared to respond to any emergency.
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The spokesman emphasized that a comprehensive strategy on directives from Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is implemented to reduce forest fire events and protect the provincial’s natural environment and forest ecosystems.
Last month, part of Muhammad Khan Forest burned fire at night and mostly destroyed wild plantations and about 50 mature trees on a piece of land between seven to 10 hectares. The forest, scattered on 181 hectares of land, is located in Kathri in Hatri Police Station’s Jurisdiction.
District forest officer Rizwan Memon told The Express Pakinomist that fortunately no damage to life or to the houses in the proximity of the forest occurred in the incident.
However, he said that the exact amount of losses are not yet assessed, because on Friday the burnt parts of the forest could not be visited due to the burning heat and the freshly burned hot soil.
