SHERANI: A wildfire has broken out in the mountainous forests of Sherani district in Balochistan, prompting the district administration to seek urgent assistance from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) due to the intensity of the blaze.
Following the request, a PDMA rescue team equipped with fire balls and other firefighting equipment has departed for Sherani.
Deputy Commissioner Hazrat Wali Kakar said the fire erupted in the forested hills near Ahmadi Dargah village.
District teams rushed to the site immediately and began efforts to control the flames, but the fire spread rapidly, forcing the administration to request additional provincial support.
He added that the fire initially broke out in wild vegetation, but if it continued to spread, it could pose a serious threat to the valuable chilgoza pine forests.
Meanwhile, Director General PDMA Balochistan Jahanzeb Khan said that according to the district administration and the District Forest Officer, the wildfire ignited earlier this afternoon in the mountainous range near Ahmadi Dargah village.
After starting at a high-altitude peak, the fire quickly spread and engulfed a large area.
Authorities stated that access to the affected site is extremely difficult, as response teams must walk for nearly four hours through rugged mountain terrain to reach the location.
Despite these challenges, teams from the district administration, Levies Force, and the Forest Department launched initial firefighting efforts without delay.
Due to the expanding scale of the fire, PDMA rescue teams were mobilized from Quetta at 4 PM and are on their way to Sherani, where a joint operation will begin upon their arrival using specialized equipment suited for high-altitude and rough terrain conditions.
According to the District Forest Officer, the fire has already damaged olive trees, pine trees, shrubs, herbs, and dry grass.
Combined efforts by the district administration, PDMA rescue force, forest department, Levies Force, and the local community are ongoing to contain the fire and prevent further destruction.
