Forest Fire in Arasbaran Forests “Contained” After Several Days

According to officials in East Azerbaijan province, a forest fire in the Arasbaran (Qaradagh) forests has been contained; however, a number of social media users have reported that the fire continues.

Mohammad Baqer Honarvar, crisis management director of East Azerbaijan, told FARS News Agency on Thursday that the fire in the pastures of Khoda Afarin city has been extinguished and rescue forces are “engaged in mopping up and cleanup operations.”

The East Azerbaijan provincial official also stated that “two helicopters from the Ministry of Defense and the Red Crescent… are to enter the area.”

However, a number of social media users have criticized the delay by local authorities in containing this fire, which began three days ago, and some have said the fire is still ongoing.

The 164,000-hectare Arasbaran forests are located at the northernmost point of East Azerbaijan and Ardabil provinces, and recently multiple reports were published in the media about tree cutting in various sections of this forest.

Previously, Issa Kalantari, head of the Department of Environment Protection, stated that 60 years ago there were 2.8 million hectares of forests in northern Iran, but now it has been reduced to 1.3 million hectares.

Source: Radio Farda