Smart Tech to Guard Nat’l Parks Against Wildfires

National parks and natural reserves in Tehran Province should be protected from wildfires through smart and modern technologies, an official with Tehran Governorate said.
Mohammad Taqizadeh added that municipalities and the fire department should jointly take responsibility for saving green space from conflagration, besides taking preventive measures with the help of tech facilities, ISNA reported.
Climate change has made wildfires more frequent and harsher. Since May 22, the Zagros Mountain Range in southwestern Iran has been ravaged by forest fires spreading across thousands of hectares. 
Iran is woefully underprepared to deal with the country's hot season because of a lack of resources and budget, and so extinguishing the fire falls to volunteers. Locals are underequipped to fight the fire, while Iranian officials have tried to deny the extent of damage.
The Zagros Mountain Range, along Iran's western border, is home to many unique species of flora and fauna, with 40% of all plants used for medicinal purposes found in the region. However, drought and overconsumption of resources have damaged the forests in the region, and now wildfires threaten it, too.