Fire burned over 25 hectares of woodlands in Gachsaran County, Kohgilouyeh-Boyerahmad Province, during the past three days, the head of the provincial office of the Department of Environment said on Wednesday.
The fire has been ruled an accident caused by a beekeeper, IRNA quoted Abdal Dianati as saying.
"Firefighters put out the flames in Kouh-e-Dil Protected Area with the help of the locals," he said. "However, there is a chance of the fires rekindling so firefighters are still on alert."
Dianati said the afflicted areas sit on mountainous, impassable terrain, which prolonged the extensive efforts to combat the fires.
The protected area covers 10,000 hectares and its common vegetation is oak, millet and almond.
According to Ali Teymouri, director of DOE's Conservation, Hunting and Fishing Office, despite an increase in the frequency of wildfire in protected areas, the areas they burn have shrunk since local firefighters are better equipped to deal with the phenomenon. Since last year, DOE has been working with the Management and Planning Organization of Iran on a "comprehensive management plan" that puts in place measures to combat fires in vulnerable regions.
About 95% of all wildfires are caused by humans, 85% of which are accidental.
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