Fire Destroys 13 Hectares of Pine Forest in Kunar

Local sources in Kunar province report that a fire broke out in a pine forest in the Nari district, burning a large area of woodland.

According to residents of the area, the fire began on Monday, August 4, in the "Nawi Khwar" area of Nari district. They claim the blaze was caused by the negligence of local shepherds and continued for nearly three days, ultimately consuming a large portion of the forest.

Locals stated that the fire could have been easily contained in its early stages, but due to the negligence and lack of timely action by local Taliban officials, the flames spread and destroyed approximately 13 hectares of forest.

Taliban officials in Kunar have also confirmed the fire in Nari’s forest. According to them, it was sparked by a cooking fire lit by shepherds and intensified due to strong winds and the lack of necessary firefighting equipment, which made it difficult to bring the fire under control.

Aminullah Shahab, the Taliban-appointed district governor of Nari, said they had requested assistance from the provincial government and the Disaster Management Authority, but no help had arrived. He stated that the fire was finally extinguished by rainfall the night before, but by then, 13 hectares of pine forest had already been destroyed.

It’s worth noting that similar forest fires have previously occurred in Kunar, Nuristan, Laghman, Nangarhar, and several other regions, resulting in the destruction of dozens of hectares of pine forests.