In less than three weeks, a third major wildfire has erupted in the pine nut-rich forests of Balochistan’s Zhob Division, inflicting significant ecological and financial losses. The blaze has scorched extensive areas of chilgoza (pine nut) woodlands, with damages estimated in the millions of rupees, according to a report by 24NewsHD TV.
Firefighting efforts remain severely hindered due to limited equipment and manpower, allowing the fire to continue threatening one of the region’s most valuable natural and economic assets.
Simultaneously, wildfires have been reported in Murree at two key locations: near the Expressway in Manga and in Forest No. 2, Phagwari. Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sudheer Mughal confirmed that firefighting teams have been deployed and are actively working to bring the flames under control.
This string of forest fires has reignited concerns after previous devastating blazes. On January 10, 2025, flames swept through the Koh-i-Suleman forest range in Darra Zinda tehsil, torching olive and pine-rich areas such as Tajori village and Al-Mar-Kalan. Rare tree species and local wildlife were severely impacted.
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Forest Department officials cite human negligence, such as the intentional burning of dry grass, as a primary cause. Seasonal winds often worsen these small fires into uncontrollable infernos, especially in mountainous and inaccessible terrain where firefighting vehicles can’t reach.
During the January blaze, teams from Rescue 1122 and the Wildlife Department were forced to rely on manual methods, including firebreaks and smothering, to control the spread in remote zones.
This wildfire season also evokes memories of the October 31, 2024 fire in Dera Ismail Khan and Balochistan’s Sherani District, which required days of effort from local authorities, aided by the Frontier Corps and levies. That disaster recalled the 2022 inferno that destroyed hundreds of pine trees, eventually extinguished only after Iran deployed an Ilyushin-76 aircraft to drop water in back-to-back sorties.
In the wake of recurring disasters, experts and locals alike are urging the government to invest in modern firefighting technology, training, and preventive strategies to safeguard Pakistan’s dwindling forest resources.
