Blaze damages wheat crops in Iraq’s Kirkuk

Shafaq News- Kirkuk

A fire destroyed about 10 dunams (1 hectar) of wheat fields on Saturday near Taza Khurmatu in Kirkuk province, northern Iraq, before civil defense teams brought the blaze under control amid high temperatures and windy conditions, a local source told Shafaq News.

No injuries or damage to nearby residential properties were reported, and authorities have opened an investigation to determine the cause of the fire.

Farmland fires have repeatedly struck Kirkuk during the current harvest season, causing losses for local farmers. Over the past two weeks alone, authorities recorded at least four separate blazes across the province, including fires in Al-Hawija, Yaychi, and areas south and southwest of Kirkuk, which collectively destroyed dozens of dunams of wheat fields.

Kirkuk's Agriculture Directorate expected wheat production to reach around 600,000 tons this season, reinforcing the province's status as one of Iraq's main grain-producing areas. Officials attribute the strong yields to improved farming methods, technical support, and favorable weather conditions.