Three-Day Forest and Rangeland Fire in Damchnar, Boirahmad

FCNN EditorJuly 14, 2020

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Reports from some Iranian media outlets, citing local authorities, indicate that the forest and rangeland fire in Damchnar, Boirahmad has been “controlled” after three days. Reports suggest that volunteer civilians have once again gone to the area to help extinguish the blaze.

Shahrokh Kanari, governor of Boirahmad, told the ISNA news agency late on the evening of July 14 that the fire covered “between 30 to 40 kilometers” and began on July 12.

Mr. Kanari stated that the fire has been controlled. However, he emphasized that previously “the fire was controlled in two stages and then flared up again.”

The Boirahmad governor said “a number of district office personnel, village administrators, and natural resources staff will remain in the area until tomorrow to quickly extinguish the fire if it flares up again.”

These statements came as several social media users had warned hours after the fire started about its intensity and that volunteer forces were facing a shortage of resources.

Meanwhile, although Mr. Kanari stated the fire’s extent to be between 30 to 40 kilometers three days after it started, other users had earlier said the fire line was between three to four kilometers. As a result, it appears the fire expanded significantly during this period.

Another user wrote on Monday noon: “An extensive fire from last night has engulfed the forested area of Damchnar in Boirahmad county and continues to spread. Unfortunately, all of Boirahmad county’s natural resources personnel were engaged in another fire in the Sarvak region, and for this reason the fire in Damchnar has gotten out of control. There is no force except five or six [people at the site].”

The head of the natural resources office in Boirahmad county requested help from volunteers and public forces on July 14, saying “given the dense forest and rangeland coverage of the area, the mountainous terrain of the region and the lack of livestock grazing in the area, controlling the fire is difficult, and we expect help from the people.”

At the same time, many domestic news agencies and media outlets say that a significant portion of oak trees in this Zagros region were destroyed in the fire.

Fires and blazes have occurred in recent weeks in rangelands and forests across various parts of Iran. While there is talk of lack of resources to combat these fires, there is also mention of ineffectiveness by responsible authorities, human errors or intentional fire-setting, and the absence of professional personnel on site to control the fire as quickly as possible.

Source: Radio Farda

FCNN Editor

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