Late Wednesday, wildfires erupted in the Sulaiman Range forests near Dera Ismail Khan, spreading quickly and appearing at four points along the mountain base.
A Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Department official reported last year that the province experienced 249 wildfires in the first half, affecting approximately 1,918 hectares of forest land. These fires occurred on public and private properties and were often caused by negligence, accidental sparks, and natural occurrences like lightning.
The recent blaze in DI Khan is visible in the village of Tajri to the north of the mountain and in the Almar Kalan valley to the south. The intensity of the fire is such that flames are visible from the Daraainda Tehsil Headquarters, and the fire has expanded several kilometres in just a few hours.
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Local sources are concerned about the area’s damage to valuable tree species, including olives and pines.
According to a July 23, 2024, report, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 306 wildfires in the first half of 2024, with the highest incidents in Abbottabad District, totalling 122.
| District | Number of Incidents |
|---|---|
| Lower Dir | 45 |
| Malakand | 23 |
| Orakzai | 19 |
| Battagram | 19 |
| Swabi | 17 |
| Upper Dir | 10 |
| Mardan | 9 |
| Karak | 8 |
| Mohmand | 6 |
| Khyber | 4 |
| D.I. Khan | 4 |
| Kohat | 4 |
| Buner | 3 |
| Lower Chitral | 3 |
| Shangla | 3 |
| North Waziristan | 3 |
| South Waziristan | 2 |
| Tank | 1 |
| Bajaur | 1 |
A notable incident in Lower Dir’s Badwan Adan Zai Hill was also controlled after six days.
