In the first half of the year, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa faced a concerning 306 forest fires, with Abbottabad being the most affected, accounting for approximately 122 of these incidents.
Lower Dir recorded 45 fire incidents, while Malakand experienced 23. Both Orakzai and Battagram reported 19 incidents each, resulting in significant damage to forested areas.
Swabi reported 17 fires, Upper Dir had 10, Mardan experienced nine, Karak saw eight, and Mohmand recorded six incidents. Additionally, Khyber, D.I. Khan, and Kohat each had four fires. Buner, Lower Chitral, Shangla, and North Waziristan each reported three incidents, while South Waziristan had two.
Tank and Bajaur each experienced one fire. Notably, the fire in Lower Dir’s Badwan Adan Zai Hill was controlled after a six-day operation.
According to an official from the KP Forest Department, 249 of these fire incidents damaged approximately 1,918 hectares of forest land.
The official explained that these fires affected both public and private properties, with causes ranging from negligence and accidental sparks to natural factors such as lightning.
In response to the high number of fire incidents, the department has initiated public awareness campaigns. These campaigns aim to educate the community about fire prevention, the importance of safety measures, and the appropriate actions to take during a fire.
