Blaze damages wheat crops in Iraq’s Kirkuk – Shafaq News

Shafaq News- Kirkuk

A fire destroyed
about 10 dunams (1 hectar) of wheat fields on Saturday near Taza Khurmatu in Kirkuk
province, northern Iraq, before civil defense teams brought the blaze under
control amid high temperatures and windy conditions, a local source told Shafaq
News.

No injuries or
damage to nearby residential properties were reported, and authorities have
opened an investigation to determine the cause of the fire.

Farmland fires have
repeatedly struck Kirkuk during the current harvest season, causing losses for
local farmers. Over the past two weeks alone, authorities recorded at least
four separate blazes across the province, including fires in Al-Hawija, Yaychi,
and areas south and southwest of Kirkuk, which collectively destroyed dozens of
dunams of wheat fields.

Kirkuk’s
Agriculture Directorate expected wheat production to reach around 600,000 tons
this season, reinforcing the province’s status as one of Iraq’s main
grain-producing areas. Officials attribute the strong yields to improved
farming methods, technical support, and favorable weather conditions.