ISLAMABAD: Forests across Punjab are facing an alarming wave of destruction as over 6,000 acres of woodland have been reduced to ashes over the past three years.
Records reveal that 268 forest fire incidents were reported in Punjab during this period, accounting for nearly 40 percent of all 479 forest fire cases recorded nationwide. Across Pakistan, wildfires have damaged a total of 15,497 acres of forest land.
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The year 2024 emerged as the worst for Punjab’s forests in recent memory. While only four incidents were reported in 2023, burning 25 acres, the number surged to 165 fires in 2024, devastating 3,363 acres. In 2025, another 97 incidents have already scorched 2,729 acres of land, highlighting a persistent crisis.
Other provinces have also suffered major losses. In Balochistan, two incidents in 2024 destroyed 590 acres, while 14 fires this year have consumed 4,629 acres. Sindh reported five incidents damaging 63 acres, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 60 fires in 2024 that burned 1,235 acres, though none have been reported so far in 2025. Islamabad saw 17 fires in 2024 and 31 in 2025, collectively affecting 336 acres.
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Experts blame climate change, illegal logging, negligence, and prolonged dry spells for the rising wildfire trend. Environmental specialists are urging the government to invest in awareness campaigns, technological monitoring systems, and the restoration of fire lines to safeguard Pakistan’s shrinking forests.