Fire Razes Section of Tonekabon Forest

Fire razed 15 hectares of forest in Tonekabon County in the northern province of Mazandaran. According to Seyyed Mehdi Molaei, the head of regional office of Forest, Range and Watershed Management Organization, the fire erupted on Monday and was put off within 24 hours, thanks to the efforts of the organization's protection unit and the public. "There is evidence that the fire was lit by hunters," IRNA quoted the official as saying. Explaining about the delay in extinguishing the fire, Molaei said steep slopes, strong wind and poor access to some burning areas prolonged the firefighting process. Molaei called on residents, tourists, livestock owners and hunters to avoid creating campfires in forests and vulnerable areas.

The range and forest areas of Tonekabon County span 160,000 hectares. Official figures show 21 fire incidents hit the western forests of Mazandaran during the first half of the current Iranian year (started March 21), damaging over 30 hectares of woodlands. About 95% of all wildfires were caused by humans, 85% of which erupted accidentally.