Overview
- Official records for the past three years log 268 forest fires in Punjab that burned 6,117 acres.
- Across Pakistan, 479 incidents damaged about 15,497 acres, with Punjab responsible for roughly two-fifths of the total.
- The worst year was 2024, when 165 fires in Punjab destroyed 3,363 acres after just four incidents burning 25 acres in 2023.
- In 2025 to date, Punjab has recorded 97 fires scorching 2,729 acres, while Balochistan and Islamabad posted notable losses this year.
- Experts cite climate change, illegal logging, negligence, and prolonged dry spells as drivers, and the Forest Department recommends awareness campaigns, technological monitoring, and restoration of fire lines.