85% of Wangath Forest Fire Contained; Block Officer Injured During Operation

G’bal: Firefighting teams on Monday continued efforts to extinguish a wildfire in compartment 21 of Manasbal in the Wangath forest block, with officials saying that nearly 85 per cent of the blaze has been brought under control.
Personnel from the Forest Protection Force (FPF) Unit RC Urpash, forest department staff and allied wings were engaged in the operation, which was supervised by Assistant Director Sindh Mohammad Yousuf Magray and Assistant Director Mansbal Jahangir Khan. An official told Kashmir horizon that the central portion of the affected area remains difficult to tackle due to rolling debris, unstable burnt stones and smouldering stumps, creating hazardous conditions for the responders.
A Block Officer of Wangath was injured after being struck by falling material during the operation and was given immediate medical assistance, officials said. Firefighting teams are continuing their efforts and will remain on the ground until the fire is fully doused, they added. Authorities have urged locals to avoid the affected area and refrain from any activity that could lead to rekindling of the fire.