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       QUETTA: A huge fire that broke out in the pine forest in the Dera Ismail Khan area of the Suleman Range on Tuesday night spread to the neighbouring Sherani district of Balochistan, on Wednesday, officials said.

       The Sherani district administration immediately sent firefighters and forest department officials to the hilly area to bring the fire under control.

       “Efforts are underway with the help of Frontier Corps and levies to control the fire,” a senior official of Sherani district said, adding that winds were hindering the fire-fighting operation.

       The fire has engulfed a large forest area of Sherani district, with reports saying that efforts by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government so far have remained futile.

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       The forest fire came as a grim reminder of the 2022 blaze that destroyed hundreds of pine trees on the same mountain range, causing losses in millions of rupees.

       For many days, the fire could not be controlled despite hectic efforts by forest officials, security forces along with locals. Finally, the Iranian government had sent an aerial firefighter Ilyushin-76 aircraft that brought the forest fire under control after its two sorties.

       Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2024