Iran Wildfires Increase by 20%

Fire incidents in natural sites under the control of the Department of Environment have increased by 20% since the beginning of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2017) compared with the same period of last year.

According to Ali Teymouri, director of Conservation, Hunting and Fishing Office at DOE, some 3,300 hectares of land in DOE protected areas (national parks, natural monuments, wildlife sanctuaries and protected areas), including woodlands, ranges and wetlands, have been ravaged by wildfires during the period.

“Low precipitation and drought have drastically increased the risk of blaze,” IRNA quoted Teymouri as saying.

The official added that last year, fires saw a 70-80% decline compared to the fiscal 2016-17.

Teymouri attributed the achievement to involving local forces in fire-extinguishing activities, providing modern equipment and using firefighter helicopters in 16 provinces.

However, these measures could not stop the incidents’ hike this year.

According to the latest data, visitors to national parks and dense woodlands in Fars, Golestan, Lorestan, West Azarbaijan and Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari provinces remained immune from fire, for park rangers successfully relocated visitors and campers to less vulnerable areas.  

Instead, wetlands and ranges experienced a noticeable increase in wildfires, mostly due to dried flora.