Margalla Hills fire brought under control, cooling process underway

ISLAMABAD: A fire that broke out in the Margalla Hills near Islamabad’s F-5 sector on Monday was fully contained, and cooling work was in progress, according to the district administration.

In a statement, the administration said the blaze had been completely brought under control and that the cooling process was underway. It added that no official reports of losses had been received so far.

Earlier, the district administration had said firefighters were dispatched to the site to put out the fire, with local residents also taking part in the effort. It said all hiking trails in the Margalla Hills were temporarily closed because of the blaze.

The Margalla Hills National Park spans 12,605 hectares and sees frequent fires during the summer season. The issue has become a concern in recent years for the government and the Capital Development Authority. In March, ahead of the fire season, city managers held a meeting to work out a strategy for dealing with such incidents.