Syed Ali Shah, Manan Mandokhail:
QUETTA: An Iranian firefighting aircraft has landed in Pakistan to join efforts to put out the Sherani forest fire in the Koh e Suleman Range on Monday. The federal government had requested the Iranian government to provide firefighting aircraft as the forest inferno raged on.
“This is one of the largest firefighting aircraft”, the Iranian Consulate in Quetta said in a statement. The aircraft can carry almost 40 tons of water to extinguish fire, the statement mentioned.
A forest fire has been raging since May 18 in Balochistan’s Sherani district. Roaring flames of fire have burnt down ancient pine trees and olive trees located in the dense ancient forest.
This Iranian aircraft was used to extinguish fires in Georgia, Turkey, and Armenia
This Iranian aircraft was used earlier in the forest of Georgia, Turkey and Armenia. International organizations have declared one of the firefighting aircraft after its performance in extinguishing a forest fire in Turkey.
Initially, the forest caught fire in the Mughal Kot area on May 9. However, the fire entered Balochistan territory on May 13. Fire erupted in various spots of the Koh e Suleman Range, Attique ur Rehman Kakar, a forest officer of the Balochistan government based in the area said.
Pak Army helicopters engaged in the operation
Pak Army’s helicopters are engaged in extinguishing flames of fire in the Sherani forest. The civil administration, forest, and wildlife department, and provincial disaster management authority are making coordinated efforts to put out the fire in the Sherani forest. The fire continues to rage despite the efforts of the administration. “The fire has engulfed more than 30 kilometers area of the Sherani forest“, Bashir Khan Bazai, the Commissioner Zhob Division said.
Mr. Bazai said the fire continues to spread fast and burns ancient pine and olive trees in the ancient Sherani forest.
