Wildfires erupt on two Sulaimani mountains

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Bote mountain in Sulaimani province caught on fire on Friday, with the cause still unknown, according to a civil defense official. Another fire incident took place in Shewar mountain in the same province. No casualties have been reported.

The blaze started on Bote mountain in Raparin administration on Friday afternoon and has yet to be brought under control. “The fire is heading toward mountains and its geography makes it hard to be contained,” Ali Qadir, spokesperson for Raparin’s civil defense, told Rudaw. 

He added that their teams are trying to make obstacles ahead of the fire in order to prevent it from reaching other areas.

“It is not clear what caused the fire. If it continues, it will not cause danger to populated areas but farms and forests.”

The scorching weather has caused several fire incidents in the Kurdistan Region but some have been blamed on arson, including two recent fires in Shanadar cave and Gali Ali Bag resort in Erbil province. 

Shewar mountain in the Warte area also caught fire and has not been controlled. 

No casualties or damage to people’s properties have been reported in both fire incidents. 

Reporting by: Bakhtyar Qadir