Fire destroys nearly 500 acres of land and thousands of trees near Dukan

SULAYMANIYAH — A large fire swept through land along the Dukan–Sulaymaniyah road Saturday evening, burning roughly 2,000 dunams of natural and agricultural terrain and destroying nearly 2,500 trees, according to the Sulaymaniyah Forest and Environment Police.

Hemn Kamarkhan, spokesperson for the department, told 964media that fire crews from multiple agencies, including the Dukan Civil Defense, worked for five hours alongside residents of Telan, Qamchuga and Jassana villages to contain and extinguish the blaze.

“The fire affected a wide area covered with brush, grass, and privately planted crops,” Kamarkhan said. “Thousands of trees of varying ages were lost in the fire.”

Authorities believe the fire was likely sparked by an electrical short. “Initial investigations suggest the cause was a short circuit in a power line triggered by rainfall,” Kamarkhan said.

An official report on the incident has been submitted to the judiciary to determine liability and pursue legal procedures.