A wildfire that ignited in the forests of Panghoora Dakhan Syedan, a village in the Namli Mera union council of Abbottabad’s Galyat region, continues to rage out of control after 36 hours, causing widespread devastation.
The fire, which started days ago, has spread over several kilometers, consuming millions of rupees worth of trees planted under the Billion Tree Tsunami project and fodder worth lakhs of rupees collected for livestock.
The delay in response is attributed to the lack of accessible roads, forcing firefighters from Rescue 1122 to trek on foot to reach the blaze. Local residents are actively participating in firefighting efforts.
The lack of timely intervention by the Forest and Wildlife departments is being criticized. Hundreds of insects and animals are feared to have perished in the fire, and there are concerns that the fire could spread to nearby populated areas.
Local residents have appealed to the provincial government and district administration for urgent action to extinguish the fire. The scale of the damage and the ongoing threat underscore the need for a swift and effective response to prevent further losses.