Khuzestan's Stifling Smoke Draws Top Official to Province

The huge wildfire in Hour Al-Azim wetland in the southwest of Iran that shows no sign of abating and keeps choking the residents of Khuzestan Province with its dense fumes has pressed the chief of the Department of Environment to make a trip to the region in person to observe the conditions. 
Isa Kalantari said after an aerial visit to the wetland by helicopter that the water-dropping choppers might be unable to extinguish the fire due to its size, and ground operations are essential to controlling the inferno. 
"To approach the fire by land, we need to reach agreements with the Iraqi side," he was quoted as saying by IRNA.