UMERKOT: A wildfire that broke out on Dec 18 in Khokhrapar union council and parts of Achhro Thar killed 180 animals, burnt down crops, fodder and more than 50,000 trees on 20 acres, according to villagers.

The fire that reportedly started near Indian border destroyed guar crop and trees of ber, kunbhat, kandi, rohira, and phogg. Thousands of birds, such as peacocks, partridges, doves, crows, and sparrows, were also killed in the blaze, said villagers.

The affected communities, primarily reliant on livestock and arid farming, now faced serious challenge of rebuilding their lives. With grazing grounds and fodder destroyed, surviving livestock too was at risk of starvation, they said.

The villagers demanded immediate compensation for their losses, and sustainable solutions to prevent such incidents in future.

They complained that only MPA Amir Ali Shah had visited the fire site and no official had arrived in the affected villages yet to assess the scale of the damage or provide aid.

They expressed disappointment over the lack of government response and urged both federal and provincial authorities to take swift action.

The fire spread to adjacent areas in Achhro Thar, Sanghar district, causing devastation across vast expanses of land.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2024