Lightning sparks wildfire in Al-Sulaymaniyah’s Asos mountains

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

A large wildfire broke out in the Asos mountain range near Kani Hanjira village on Friday after lightning strikes during severe thunderstorms, spreading toward areas bordering five villages, a local source told Shafaq News.

The source said thunderstorms and heavy rain swept mountainous areas in the Raperin Administration and Dukan district from around 3:00 p.m., with lightning igniting fires on the Sara and Asos mountains.

Dense grass and woodland, combined with strong winds, helped the Asos fire spread rapidly across valleys and mountainous terrain near the villages of Sarchiya, Garmakan and Nawdasht.

Steep terrain and difficult access roads prevented Civil Defense vehicles and crews from reaching the main fire front, the source said. Local residents, young volunteers and environmental activists headed into the mountains to try to contain the flames and prevent them from reaching orchards and homes.

The affected villages fall administratively within Bingird subdistrict in Dukan district but are geographically closer to Pshdar district.

Volunteers called for additional firefighting and rescue teams, warning that the blaze could reach the five villages or spread to other mountains if it remained uncontrolled.