Forest fire claims lives of husband and wife in Shangla

(Web Desk): A couple tragically lost their lives after being engulfed by a raging forest fire in the mountainous forests of Martung Tehsil, Shangla district.

Pakistan has seen a notable rise in forest fires in recent years, with several provinces, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, facing large-scale wildfires over the past three years.

According to Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Usman Munir, the couple was trying to save their stockpile of firewood near their home when they were caught in the flames and fatally burned.

Sub-Divisional Forest Officer (SDFO) Zahid Hussain in Alpuri confirmed that the victims were identified as Hakeem Zada and his wife Hajiran. He explained that the couple had initially set fire to nearby bushes, but strong gusty winds caused the fire to spiral out of control, spreading to the surrounding forest.

The forest fire has since been extinguished, and the charred bodies of the victims have been recovered from the site.

Deputy Commissioner of Shangla, Muhammad Fawad, stated that compensation will be provided to the bereaved family.

It is worth noting that over 50 forest fire incidents have been reported in Shangla alone in 2024. In June 2022, a similar forest fire in the Chakesar area of the district claimed the lives of four people.