Galiyat blaze brought under control, resurfaces in two areas

News Desk

Nathiagali:A massive forest fire that broke out for unknown reasons in the Galiyat region — including Ayubia Pipeline, Tauheed Abad and surrounding forest areas — kept Rescue 1122 teams engaged in continuous firefighting operations for several hours.

According to Rescue 1122, the fire spread rapidly and engulfed a large forested area. Upon receiving the alert, fire vehicles and ambulances were immediately dispatched, while rescue teams from Nathiagali and Ayubia reached the site and initiated firefighting operations despite difficult terrain and severe darkness.

Considering the intensity of the fire, District Emergency Officer Hafeez Rehman and Emergency Officer Fahad Ali Masood reached the site along with rescue personnel and personally supervised the operation. Additional teams and manpower were also called in from Mansehra and Haripur to strengthen the response.

On the directives of Director General Rescue 1122 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tayyab Abdullah, all available resources were mobilised. After nearly 14 hours of sustained efforts, the fire was successfully brought under control near populated areas.

The operation involved 10 fire vehicles, three ambulances and 40 rescue personnel from Abbottabad, Haripur and Mansehra.

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However, the fire reignited the following morning in Tauheed Abad and Kandala. Rescue teams responded promptly, confined the blaze to a limited area and, through effective strategy and professional expertise, completely extinguished it.

District Emergency Officer Hafeez Rehman and Emergency Officer Fahad Ali Masood appreciated the performance of the rescue personnel and paid tribute to their dedication and professionalism.

Helicopters sought as forest fire rages in Ayubia, Galiyat

Helicopters have finally been sought from the provincial government to control a massive forest fire that has been raging for several days in the forests of Ayubia and the Galiyat, causing extensive damage to valuable woodland and wildlife.

Despite repeated alerts through print and social media, the fire continued to spread due to the lack of a timely and effective response from the concerned authorities. The blaze crossed the pipeline track of Ayubia National Park and engulfed adjacent forest areas, further worsening the situation.

On Friday, announcements were made in local mosques to mobilise public awareness and assistance; however, the response from relevant institutions remained slow, allowing the fire to spread unchecked.

Later that night, the newly appointed District Emergency Officer of Rescue 1122 Abbottabad, Hafiz ur Rehman, reached the site and personally led firefighting operations, remaining on duty throughout the night.

Assistant Commissioner Galiyat Tariq Khan, officials from the Dongagali police, and personnel of the Forest and Wildlife departments were also present at the scene.

Subsequently, the district administration formally sought assistance from the provincial government and disaster management authorities, including the deployment of helicopters for aerial firefighting operations.

The delayed response has raised serious questions, with observers asking why effective measures were not taken at an early stage and whether the extensive loss of forest cover and wildlife could have been prevented.

Calls have also been made for a joint and transparent inquiry by the provincial government and federal investigative agencies to fix responsibility and to prevent recurring incidents that cause irreparable damage to forests and wildlife every year.