Disaster

‘High Alert’: Departments, volunteers fire-fighting as forests burn across Kashmir

Photo Credit: Facebook/Riffat Abdullah.

Srinagar: Reacting to news of forest fires across Kashmir from the past few days, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said that all departments are on ‘high alert’ to make sure that the situation is brought under control.

Mehbooba wrote on twitter, “Forest department & volunteers are working tirelessly to douse the forest fire in Bandipora, Kangan, Anantnag & other affected areas. They have succeeded in partially extinguishing it. All departments are on high alert to make sure that the situation is brought under control”

Massive fires destroyed acres of forest areas in multiple district across Kashmir on Saturday, burning trees and vegetation. In Ganderbal, the fire reportedly broke out in compartment number 18 and 19 of the forest division on Friday.

ALSO READ: Huge fires destroy acres of forests in Bandipora, Kangan, Anantnag, Kupwara, Srinagar and Budgam

The forest range officer at Kangan Muneer Ahmad said fire has been brought under control from Kangan side.

Journalist Rifat Abdullah wrote on his profile, “forests in Kashmir are burning continuously from last two days in Six Districts. Bandipora, Kangan (Wangath), Anantnag, Srinagar, Kupwara (Zagipora) and Budgam (Nowrozbaba Khag). We have very thin forest cover left, now but unfortunately we are losing it with every passing day.

The forest department has not been able to douse the flames in time due to which fire spread to a vast area.

Fire also broke out in Nowroz Baba forests of Tangmarg division late Friday. Fire broke out in compartment number 25 of Pathribal forests in the lower reaches of Pir Panjal mountain range in Nowroz Baba, turning many trees into ashes, said an eyewitness.

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