ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – A large blaze that broke out on Sulaimani’s Azmar Mountain was extinguished early Saturday by civil defense teams after raging for hours, burning more than 100 dunams of dry grassland and leaving one volunteer with minor injuries.

The fire broke out late Friday and spread rapidly through dry vegetation as strong winds hampered efforts to extinguish it, Aram Ali, spokesperson for Sulaimani’s civil defense, told The New Region.

Director of Sitak subdistrict Ismail Ahmed told The New Region that the blaze was “fully controlled” through the efforts of ten Sulaimani civil defense teams, along with teams from Sitak and Sharbazher, the emergency response unit, forest police, and local volunteers.

Amid the firefighting efforts, a Sitak volunteer sustained a minor injury and remains in stable condition, the official added.

According to The New Region’s correspondent on the ground, who spoke with relevant authorities, more than 100 dunams of dry vegetation are estimated to have burned. A dunam is 2,500 square meters. 

Sulaimani’s district administrator Fazil Omar noted that while the fire has been put out, civil defense teams remained at the scene “because there is a possibility it could reignite.”

Fires on Azmar and nearby Goizha Mountain are common and have increased in frequency over the years. The mountains overlook Sulaimani city and are popular destinations for views of the city, picnics, and sunset watching.

In mid-July, a large fire also broke out atop Goizha Mountain.

The Kurdistan Region experiences hot and dry summers, making vegetation fires easier to ignite and allowing them to spread quickly.