Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah
A fire broke out Friday evening in the Diwi Setak area of Azmar Mountain in Al-Sulaymaniyah, with strong winds helping the flames spread rapidly and making them difficult to contain, a source told Shafaq News.
He attributed the rapid spread to strong winds sweeping across Al-Sulaymaniyah province, which complicated efforts to contain and extinguish the flames.
The cause remained unknown, with no immediate information available on damage or injuries.
Previous fires have also swept through the mountain and the adjoining Koyija Mountain, the latest occurring on July 22 and destroying about 200 dunams* of natural forest.
Local authorities attribute most of the recurring fires in the highlands to negligence and human activity, including waste left behind by visitors, as well as natural factors such as the sharp rise in summer temperatures.
* 1 hectare = 10 dunams