SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region — Over the past three months, 40 fire incidents have ravaged more than 318,000 hectares forest in Sanandaj, the capital city of Iran’s Kurdistan province, according to Behzad Sharifpour, General Director of Sanandaj’s Natural Resources.
Sharifpur highlighted that Baneh city recorded the highest number of fire incidents, with 13 occurrences. “These fires have resulted in the devastation of 93 hectares of forest in Marivan city, which was the most severely affected area,” he stated.
In response to these widespread fires, several safety measures are being implemented to mitigate future losses. “Introducing a hotline for emergency aid to farmers, conducting related training sessions, and equipping tractor owners with fire-extinguishing devices are part of the integral safety measures being implemented,” Sharifpur added.
Kurdistan province’s landscape is predominantly made up of pastures and forest land, constituting more than 60% of the area. This region accounts for 6% of Iran’s total pastureland, underscoring the significant impact of these fire incidents on the country’s natural resources.
