KHUJAND, September 17, 2009, Asia-Plus — A wildfire that broke out in Sughd’s Shahriston district on September 14 has reportedly damaged some 1,3 hectares of forests in the district.
According to Abdurahim Pirov, the deputy chief of the Sughd firefighting service, fire-fighting vehicles failed to get the wildfire site and they were forced enlist the services of emergency management agency, military units deployed in the province and local residents. “In all, 160 people were involved in extinguishing the wildfire,” Pirov said.
He noted that the fire had destroyed 20 archa trees (a coniferous tree of Central Asia). “They had to put out the fire manually, using spades; however, well-organized and efficient actions allowed salvaging 50 hectares of forests in Shahriston.”
