TEHRAN – People who deliberately set fire to forests and pastures are sentenced to at least 10 years in prison, Reza Aflatooni, the deputy director of the Forests, Rangelands and Watershed Management Organization for legal affairs, has announced.

Farmers, ranchers and gardeners must obtain permission from natural resources officials for burning their garden plant residues, he said, IRIB reported.

Regarding the people’s role in wildfires and the lack of law in this field, Jamshid Mahbbat Khani, the commander of the Department of Environment’s protection unit, said that fires have two human and natural origins. Lightning or heat are among the reasons for anthropogenic forest fires. 

Last year (ended on March 19), 12 percent of fires were naturally set, on the other hand, 18 percent of fires were an act of arson.

A wildfire broke out across several forests and protected areas in four western and southwestern provinces of Khuzestan, Bushehr, Lorestan, Kohgiluyeh, and Boyer-Ahmad on May 28.

The fire also swept through Khaeez protected area, measuring 28,000 hectares is one of the main habitats for wild goats in Zagros forests and was burning for almost 6 days.
Issa Kalantari the DOE chief told ISNA that some 27,000 hectares of Khaeez protected area were burnt in the fire.

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