The forest fire, which has become a serious environmental issue in Iran, burned areas of Karkheh National Park in Khuzestan province and the pastures and forests of Ab Kinaro Khan Ahmad in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province. Drought and human factors have been cited as the main causes of wildfires in Iran. ISNA news agency published images of the extensive wildfire in a large area of Karkheh National Park on Tuesday, June 15. This fire began on Monday, June 14, in the forest area of 'Khuis Village' in Karkheh County and, according to reports, has now been contained with the help of local residents, rangers, and firefighters from nearby cities. The report states that drought and human factors are among the main causes of the fire in Karkheh forests, the main habitat of the Iranian deer, which destroys hundreds of hectares of land in this region annually. Simultaneously, IRNA news agency reported that the fire in the forests and pastures of Bashteh in the Ab Kinaro Khan Ahmad area started on Sunday afternoon for 'unknown reasons.' According to this report, containing the fire has been difficult due to dry grass and strong winds, and an environmental activist named Jamshid, who was part of the local rescue forces, was injured after 'falling from a cliff' while trying to contain the fire. With the intensification of intentional forest fires in Iran, the vegetation cover and forest area of the country are being destroyed. Previously, Hossein Mirzaei, head of the Natural Resources and Watershed Management Department of Lorestan Province, stated that converting forest and pasture lands into agricultural lands is one of the main human causes of wildfires. Additionally, Hassan Ahmadi, a professor of natural resources at Tehran University, mentioned that in 1953, Iran and Turkey had 18 million hectares of forest, but now the area of forests in Iran has decreased to 12 million hectares while Turkey has increased its forest area to 40 million hectares.
Wildfires in Karkheh and Bashteh Forests; Continued Environmental Damage in Iran Due to Drought and Human Factors
Wildfires in Karkheh National Park and Bashteh forests have caused significant environmental damage in Iran, primarily due to drought and human activities. Local residents and firefighters have worked to contain the fires, which threaten the habitat of the Iranian deer and the country's forest cover. This situation highlights ongoing environmental challenges in Iran.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Wildfires broke out in Karkheh National Park and Bashteh forests in Iran, primarily due to drought and human activities. Local residents and firefighters have worked to contain the fires, which threaten wildlife and forest cover.
- The fire in Karkheh National Park started on June 14 and was contained with local efforts.
- The area of forests in Iran has decreased significantly from 18 million hectares in 1953 to 12 million hectares now.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran faces significant environmental challenges, including drought and deforestation, which are exacerbated by human activities such as land conversion for agriculture.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%