A firefighting aircraft of Iran landed in Pakistan on Monday to assist the neighboring country in its efforts to extinguish the blazing forest fire at Koh-e-Suleman mountains range which is located at the junction of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Balochistan.
Iran’s aid to douse the blazing flame came as the federal disaster management, army, provincial authorities, and other departments struggled to counter the week-old raging forest fire in the mountains range in which three people have lost their lives so far while three others have been badly injured.
Earlier on Monday, a spokesperson for the Iranian consulate in Quetta said that the Ilyushin 76 aircraft is the “biggest firefighter aircraft” in the world and would land at Rawalpindi’s Nur Khan Airbase today.
The airplane is supposed to remain in Pakistan till the fire has been extinguished, the spokesperson added.
According to a forest officer, the fire continues to burn up in an area spanning 20Km in Shara Gulghai and 15km in Toorghardana.
The National Disaster Management Authority has provided fire extinguishers, firefighting suits, Dicalcium Phosphate (DCP) chemical bags, and firefighting balls while Rescue 1122 teams, individuals of PDMA, and the forest department are also actively participating in the operation.
The fire in the Shirani forest of Balochistan, home to the world’s largest pine nuts (chilghoza) forest, started a week ago on May 18 after the area was struck by lightning and has since swallowed up hundreds of trees dotting the mountain range. The forest connects Balochistan, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.
“Pine trees dating back more than 1,000-1,500 years are located in the forest. A pine tree starts giving fruit after 25 years. These [areas] are part of the world’s largest pine forest,” Forest officer Kakar said.
The fire has burnt down ancient pine trees and olive trees located in the dense ancient forest.