Iran battles fire in Unesco-listed forest

Iran has sought help to fight a devastating fire in Unesco-listed forests in its north, with neighbouring Turkey sending firefighting planes, Iran's top environmental official said on Saturday.

- 

The Hyrcanian forests stretch for about 1,000 kilometres along the Iranian coast of the Caspian Sea and into neighbouring Azerbaijan.

Unesco recognised the forests as a World Heritage Site in 2019, deeming them unique for both their age—between 25 and 50 million years old — and their varied biodiversity, as home to more than 3,200 species of plants. A fire that broke out in the area in early November and was initially quelled reignited on November 15, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported.

The fire threatens the Hyrcanian forests, which stretch along the southern Caspian Sea coast and date back 50 million years.