Petition on the Abidar Fire, Sanandaj
106
Signatures
500
Goal
September 17 2025
On July 24, 2025, a devastating wildfire broke out on the slopes of Abidar Mountain, the symbolic green heart of Sanandaj in Kurdistan province. Abidar is more than a recreational site; it is the most prominent natural landmark of the city, deeply embedded in the memory and daily lives of its residents. That day, what began as a localized blaze quickly escalated into a large-scale inferno, consuming shrubs, trees, and grasslands across vast stretches of the mountain.
Local eyewitnesses reported that despite early warnings, there was a notable delay in the arrival of professional firefighting teams and proper equipment. In the critical hours when the flames could have been contained, residents, students, and civil society volunteers rushed forward with nothing but their bare hands, shovels, and simple water containers. They climbed steep slopes to fight the fire and protect both nature and the homes bordering the mountain.
Tragically, amid these heroic efforts, several lives were lost. Among them was Chiakou Yousefinejad, a young nature enthusiast and environmental volunteer, who was killed while fighting the fire on his birthday. His death, alongside those of others injured and affected, has become a symbol of both the heroism of the people of Sanandaj and the neglect of the authorities. According to press reports, Chia’s sacrifice highlighted once again the absence of an effective state response in dealing with natural disasters. Instead of being supported with professional equipment and logistical planning, ordinary citizens bore the brunt of extinguishing the flames, at enormous personal risk. Two other Kurdish citizens, Hamid Moradi and Khabat Amini, lost their lives due to severe burns.
The causes of the fire remain under investigation, but many locals believe that, in addition to the hot, dry summer conditions, human activity and possible deliberate negligence contributed to its rapid spread. Witnesses and activists point to a pattern of destructive policies, poor urban and environmental planning, and even suspected intentional fires that have afflicted Kurdistan’s natural resources in the past.
The role of government agencies was once again under sharp criticism. Local activists observed that firefighting infrastructure in Sanandaj and Kurdistan province is rudimentary at best, and that environmental agencies lack both authority and resources. While volunteers sacrificed their lives, the absence of aerial firefighting equipment, rapid-response units, and adequate safety measures highlighted the unpreparedness of officials. Civil society organizations have emphasized that the government has a constitutional and moral obligation to protect the environment and its citizens, yet continues to fall short in fulfilling this duty.
The fire not only caused irreparable environmental damage—destroying green cover, wildlife habitat, and recreational areas—but also inflicted deep social and emotional scars on the people of Sanandaj. Abidar, once a place of respite, became a site of mourning. For residents, the loss of lives, the destruction of nature, and the lack of accountability together represent a crisis of governance and a betrayal of public trust.
This event has reignited public debate across Iran about the urgent need for environmental protection, transparency, and accountability. Once again, citizens and environmental activists are left to demand the most basic measures from their government: prevention of recurring disasters, protection of natural resources, and justice for the victims.
Demands
Once again, the issue of the environment and the need to protect and preserve it has risen to the top of public opinion. Environmental activists and civil society have long emphasized that the primary responsibility lies with the government and relevant agencies. With society now highly sensitized and with the recent irreparable human and material damages, it is essential that these demands be seriously addressed through legal and executive mechanisms.
The undersigned therefore declare the following as the most urgent and essential demands of civil society:
- Firm judicial follow-up and transparency in the legal proceedings related to the Abidar fire and other similar incidents.
- Comprehensive support for the families of the deceased and injured, with official recognition of popular and nature-loving heroes as selfless servicemen, and full legal, material, and moral support for bereaved families.
- Approval and implementation of a comprehensive plan to address wildfires in natural areas, including prevention, rapid extinguishing, restoration of burned ecosystems, creation of rapid-response bases, skilled workforce, legal backing, proper equipment, and public education.
- Cessation of destructive policies and activities that contribute to environmental degradation, including deliberate fires, exploitation, and biased projects targeting natural resources.
- Establishment of a specialized firefighting base for Kurdistan in accordance with modern standards, equipped with complete logistical resources and with branches in all cities of the province.
Recent events
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See where all the votes are coming from
Province Number of signatures Alborz 0 Ardabil 0 Bushehr 0 Chahar Mahaal and Bakhtiari 0 East Azerbaijan 0 Fars 1 Gilan 0 Golestan 0 Hamadan 0 Hormozgan 0 Ilam 0 Isfahan 0 Kerman 0 Kermanshah 0 Khuzestan 0 Kohgiluyehv And Boyer Ahmad 0 Kurdistan 1 Lorestan 0 Markazi 0 Mazandaran 0 North Khorasan 0 Qazvin 0 Qom 0 Razavi Khorasan 0 Semnan 0 Sistan and Baluchestan 0 South Khorasan 0 Tehran 2 West Azerbaijan 1 Yazd 0 Zanjan 0 This petition has received 106 signatures so far. Approximately 67% of signatures come from Iran. Approximately 33% of signatures come from outside of Iran. Learn how Daadkhast generates signature maps. -
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An environmental activist in Kurdistan started this petition
