Rescue 1122 Raises Concern Over 164 Wheat Field Fires Across Punjab

Punjab Emergency Services Department (Rescue 1122) has raised serious concerns after responding to 164 wheat field fire incidents across the province in just the last 48 hours.

Dr. Rizwan Naseer, Secretary of the Emergency Services Department, led a review meeting on Monday. During the session, he highlighted the urgent need to reduce such incidents through awareness, preventive action, and community engagement.

In the meeting, Divisional Emergency Officers (DEOs) shared district-wise updates. Rescue 1122 responded to:

• 20 fire incidents in Nankana
• 16 in Sheikhupura
• 12 in Dera Ghazi Khan
• 11 in Hafizabad
• 10 in Khanewal
• 95 fires in other districts of Punjab

These fires affected 750 acres of wheat fields. However, due to timely action by Rescue 1122, thousands of acres were saved.

Dr. Naseer emphasized that many of these fires can be prevented. He urged farmers to take basic precautions, such as:

• Creating firebreaks around fields
• Avoiding stubble burning
• Regular maintenance of harvesting machines to prevent sparks

He also instructed the Rescue 1122 teams to stay on high alert and keep close coordination with local communities. DEOs were directed to activate Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) to improve early detection and response.

In addition, Dr. Naseer ordered public awareness campaigns at the village level. These will educate farmers on how to prevent fires and what to do in case of an emergency.

The recent spike in fire incidents is partly due to dry weather and the widespread use of machinery during harvesting. Rescue 1122’s quick actions have prevented larger disasters, but the department stressed that prevention is key.