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Iran fighting ferocious fire in UNESCO-listed forests
Neighboring countries rush to help battle blaze
The fire which was allegedly started by hunters in the rocky area of Elit village in northern Mazandaran Province in early November and was initially quelled, reignited on November 15.
Governor General of Mazandaran Province Mehdi Younesi Rostami said on Saturday that a large portion of the fire in the area has been contained so far.
Younesi Rostami said the fire in seven hectares of the forest has been extinguished and only in less than one hectare is still burning.
Iran’s Army and Islamic Revolution Guards Corps have also dispatched helicopters and airtankers to the province.
Vice President for Executive Affairs Mohammad Jafar Ghaempanah wrote Friday on X that Iran has also "requested urgent assistance from friendly countries".
Younesi Rostami said that Turkey has already dispatched a team and Belarus has expressed readiness to help Iran.
Earlier on the day, the Head of the Iranian Environmental Protection Organization Shina Ansari said, “Two specialized water bomber planes, a helicopter, and eight people will be dispatched from Turkey."
"If necessary, we will also seek assistance from Russia," Ansari said.
At least 25 people, who have been helping to control the fire, have been wounded so far.
The Hyrcanian forests stretch for about 1,000 kilometers along the Iranian coast of the Caspian Sea and into neighboring Azerbaijan.
UNESCO recognized the forests as a World Heritage Site in 2019, deeming them unique for both their age – between 25 and 50 million years old – and their varied biodiversity, as home to more than 3,200 species of plants.
UNESCO says on its website the Hyrcanian forests contain "a large number of rare and endemic tree species" and are home to "many relic and endangered plant species.”
Hossein Ali Mohammadi, the director general of crisis management for Mazandaran Province, described the operation to extinguish the fire as "one of the most complex in recent years.”