Turkey’s Team Joins Efforts to Contain Iran’s Hirkanian Forest Fire
Iran has requested urgent international assistance from friendly countries to contain massive wildfires in the Hirkanian forests in the north of the country, particularly in the mountainous “Elit” area of Marzanabad in Mazandaran Province.
The fire has been raging for several days, spreading rapidly due to strong winds and dry vegetation. Containment has proven difficult with domestic resources alone. Local firefighters, environmental protection officers, Basij volunteers, and mountaineering groups are struggling in the rugged terrain to control the flames. However, limited aerial equipment and the intensity of the fire have posed serious challenges to the operation.
Mohammad Jafar Qaempanah, Vice President of Iran, announced that due to the uncontrollable nature of the fire, the government has requested urgent help from friendly nations. He stressed that extinguishing the blaze in the mountainous Elit region is impossible without international cooperation.
In this context, Mehdi Younesi Rostami, Governor of Mazandaran, reported that a Turkish operational team has arrived in the area. According to him, with the cooperation of the Aerospace Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Iranian Army, two Turkish relief aircraft have been deployed to Elit to begin aerial firefighting operations. He added that about 400 rescue personnel from various provinces have been dispatched to the region and have managed to partially control the fire, though it continues in scattered spots.
Estimates indicate that so far around 7 to 8 hectares of the Hirkanian forests have been burned.
The Hirkanian forests, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, are of global importance due to their rare plant species and sensitive wildlife. Environmental experts have warned that the continuation of the fire could lead to long-term ecological consequences.
