Fire raging in Hyrcanian Elit forest despite massive aerial response
A wildfire continues to burn across the steep, rocky slopes of the Elit region in the Hyrcanian forest of Marzanabad, Chalus, despite deployment of five helicopters and a 40-ton Il‑76 water-bomber.
Thick smoke, high winds and rugged terrain have hampered sustained aerial firefighting, officials said.
The blaze first ignited on November 15 near a mountainous area roughly six kilometers from the village of Elit. Firefighters initially contained the fire within 24 hours, but strong winds and dry undergrowth reignited it on November 15, spreading it far beyond the original perimeter.
By November 16, flames advanced south and east, while November 17 saw the fire shrink to two eastern pockets. After appearing extinguished on November 18, the blaze flared again on November 20 and has since continued in two separate zones.
Hossein‑Ali Mohammadi, head of Mazandaran’s crisis management department, said the Il‑76 aircraft, dispatched from Tehran, dropped its first load of 40 tons of water directly onto the fire’s core.
“In case of need, the aircraft will return to Tehran for refilling and redeployment,” he added. Helicopter crews have struggled to maintain water drops due to dense smoke and the steep, rocky terrain, which officials describe as among the most difficult in recent years.
Local authorities have mobilized around 400 personnel, including forest rangers, volunteer nature‑guardians, mountain rescuers and local council teams. Narrow rock faces, dense vegetation and sudden wind gusts have slowed ground efforts.
Mehdi Younesi‑Rostami, governor general of Mazandaran, said 20 volunteers have been injured over the past six days while fighting the fire.
Authorities stressed that the fire is human‑caused, but local residents should not attempt to enter the area, as conditions remain hazardous and all necessary firefighting resources are in place.