SHANGLA: Wildfire erupted in two more places of Shangla district mountains on Sunday.

However, the fire, which broke out at high altitude locality of Ali Jan Kaprai on Saturday morning, where four members of the same family were killed, has been snuffed out on Sunday afternoon after hectic efforts by personnel of the forest department, Rescue 1122 and police teams.

Zahid Hussain, sub-divisional forest officer, told Dawn that the fire erupted in Ali Jaan Kaprai mountain had been extinguished after untiring efforts of two days, adding that some personnel of the forest, Rescue 1122 and police were slightly injured.

He said the fire, which broke out in Titwalan, Chak­esar and Shang areas on Saturday, was brought under control. However, a local forest guard told Dawn that fire broke out in Pesha Mor area of Martung on Sunday, which was still spreading due to strong winds.

In a message, the forest guard requested the authorities concerned to dispatch Rescue 1122 teams and more forest staff to put out the blaze which, according to him, was reducing to ashes the entire forest as well as killing the wildlife.

Rescue 1122 spokesperson Rasool Khan told Dawn that fire broke out in district headquarters Alpuri’s moun­t­ains on Sunday evening, adding that they have dispatched teams to the site to put out the blaze and save further damages to trees and wildlife.

Meanwhile, KP minister for labourer and culture Shaukat Yousafzai told Dawn that he had directed the district administration to provide all available relief to the affected families in Chakesar and the rest of the affected areas and also make efforts to extinguish the fire.

SWAT: Deputy Commis­sioner Junaid Khan said that almost all the incidents of forest fires were controlled and extinguished.

Several forest fire incidents occurred in various loca­tions of Swat on Saturday. However, the DC said that except forest fire in Sirsenai area in Kabal tehsil, all the fire incidents were controlled.

MOHMAND: Fire broke out at seven different places in Mohmand district on Sunday morning.

Rescue 1122 spokesman Basharat Hussain told Dawn that the fire broke out in forests of Angoor Kaur, tehsil Ekkaghund, Janda check- post Lakaro, on mountains of tehsil Khwezi Baizai, Darwazgai II, in Targah in tehsil Ambar, in forest of tehsil Safi and Darwazgai Wocha Jawar Grazing areas.

APP adds: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday ordered provision of two helicopters to extinguish forest fire in Swat. He issued the directive on the request of the NDMA.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2022