MURREE, June 15 Forest fires raged across western side of the Murree Hills at the weekend, destroying trees and vegetation on 60 per cent of the area.

Flames engulfed large portions of the forests as personnel of different agencies, including the forest department, Rescue 1122 and the fire brigade, reached the spots after a delay of several hours.In some areas, including Angoori, the fires remained unchecked for the whole night, according to locals.

Forest fires are common early in summer due to the long dry spells, but this time these got out of control in the wake of inappropriate response.

The blaze damaged precious trees of pine, deodar and cedar, besides destroying thousands of saplings in the forests of Angoori, Samly, Plassy, Khajut, Saine, Mora Seyadan. Flora and fauna were also hit by the fires around the famous hill resort of the Punjab.

What used to be lush green forests just a couple of days ago turned into blackened land with just charred trunks of precious trees.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Murree Javed Gill, when contacted, said the forest department had 44 fire workers for the entire town and the other staff, including forest guards, joined the efforts incase of a blaze.

“But (this time) fire broke out simultaneously in many forests and it was almost impossible for the limited staff of the forest department to control them.”

But a large number of locals accused the government agencies, including the forest department, of deliberately setting the forests on fire with the connivance of the timber mafia. The practice is allegedly done to destroyed evidence of illegal chopping of trees and embezzlement in plantation of saplings.

The locals appealed to President Asif Ali Zardari, Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to hold a high-level inquiry and punish those found guilty of the crime.