Wildfire in Khanpur hills damages forest as containment efforts continue

KHANPUR: A wildfire that broke out in the Sarral mountain range on the outskirts of Khanpur spread quickly across several kilometres of forest on Sunday, threatening trees, vegetation and wildlife before rescue teams brought a large part of it under control, according to officials.

The district administration, Rescue 1122 and the Forest Department began a joint response after reports of the fire emerged. Official sources said Assistant Commissioner Khanpur Junaid Khalid reached the affected area near Rani Wah at around 2am along with Rescue 1122 personnel, the sub-divisional forest officer and other officials. He reviewed the situation on site, supervised the operation and took part in efforts to contain the blaze.

Officials said rescue workers, forest staff and local volunteers continued firefighting efforts for several hours and managed to contain a substantial portion of the fire. However, flames and smoke were still visible in some remote and elevated parts of the mountainous terrain, where operations were continuing to fully put out the blaze.

Speaking to the media, Khalid said forests were a national asset and said their protection was a collective responsibility. He urged tourists, residents and other visitors to hilly areas not to light fires, throw away cigarette butts or engage in any activity that could cause a forest fire. He also said such incidents destroy trees and habitats and endanger wildlife, birds and other rare species.

The assistant commissioner also asked the public to report any suspicious individuals or attempts to deliberately ignite fires to the police, the Forest Department or the assistant commissioner’s office so that legal action could be taken. The district administration said anyone found responsible for intentionally setting forest fires, or whose negligence led to such incidents, would be booked in FIRs and prosecuted under the law, adding that there would be no leniency.

Residents described the overnight effort to access difficult mountain locations and battle the flames as commendable. They also called for improved wildfire preparedness, including modern firefighting equipment, water tankers, specialised forest fire brigades, drone surveillance, early fire-detection sensors and other resources to support faster emergency action.

Environmental experts warned that with Pakistan already facing climate change pressures and shrinking forest cover, forest fires pose serious threats to ecosystems, water resources, wildlife and biodiversity. They said forest protection required not only emergency response but also sustained public awareness, effective monitoring and the use of modern technology.

The administration said continuous monitoring of the affected area would remain in place and that Rescue 1122 and Forest Department teams would stay on site until the fire was fully extinguished. Officials added that an investigation was under way to determine what caused the fire and whether anyone could be held responsible.