The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Türkiye has dispatched two water bomber aircraft, a helicopter and an eight-member team to Iran to help contain a massive wildfire threatening the ancient Hyrcanian forests, according to a report by Anadolu Agency on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025.
Iranian officials said the country requested urgent assistance after failing to control the blaze, which has been burning for days across parts of the UNESCO-listed forests along the Caspian Sea coast. The Hyrcanian forests — stretching about 1,000 kilometers through northern Iran and into Azerbaijan — are considered among the world’s oldest and most biodiverse woodlands.
UNESCO listed the forests as a World Heritage Site in 2019 due to their exceptional age, estimated at 25 to 50 million years, and their more than 3,200 plant species.
According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, the wildfire first broke out in early November, was briefly contained, and then reignited on Nov. 15. Mohammad Jafar Ghaempanah, a senior Iranian official, wrote on X that Iran sought aid from “friendly countries” after it became clear the fire could not be contained with available resources.
Shina Ansari, head of Iran’s Environmental Protection Organization, confirmed Saturday that Türkiye would send specialized aircraft and personnel to assist. She added that Iran may request support from Russia if needed.
Local outlets, including Tasnim News Agency, reported that the fire may have been started by hunters in the rugged Elit area of Mazandaran province, where complex firefighting operations continue. Hossein Ali Mohammadi, director general of crisis management for the province, called the response effort “one of the most complex in recent years.”
Iran is currently experiencing one of the worst droughts in more than 60 years, complicating efforts to contain the flames.
UNESCO says the Hyrcanian forests contain numerous rare and
endemic tree species and are home to many relic and endangered plants.
“Iranians are losing a natural heritage that is older than Persian
civilization,” Kaveh Madani, a U.N. scientist and former Iranian environmental
official, wrote on X.
