This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.

Iran has urgently requested international assistance to combat a devastating wildfire that has been raging for nearly three weeks in the ancient Hyrcanian Forests, which have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2019.

The blaze, which began near the village of Elit in Mazandaran Province on October 31, has defied containment efforts and continues to threaten one of the world’s oldest and most biodiverse ecosystems.

Mohammad Jafar Qaempanah, a deputy to Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian, announced on X on November 21 that arrangements had been made to “quickly request assistance from friendly countries.”

While Qaempanah did not specify which nations, Shina Ansari, head of Iran’s Environment Department, later confirmed that Turkey would dispatch two specialized water bombers, a helicopter, and a team of eight people to help extinguish the fires. Ansari added that Iran may also seek help from Russia “if necessary.”

Authorities claim the fire was initially brought under control after several days, but a “second phase” reignited last weekend.

Environmental activists and local residents, however, insist the blaze has burned continuously for the past three weeks and has never been fully contained. The rugged terrain, unusually warm weather, and an accumulation of dry leaves and fallen trees have all contributed to the fire’s persistence and spread.

Nighttime images circulating online reveal the scale of the devastation and the grueling efforts of emergency crews and volunteers battling the flames.

Mehrdad Khazaei-Poul, head of Mazandaran’s Natural Resources Department, attributed the fire primarily to human negligence.

“Unfortunately, some individuals acted carelessly, causing the blaze,” he said, emphasizing that “natural factors were not the main cause.”

The Hyrcanian Forests — about 660,000 hectares of which lie in Mazandaran Province — are among the world’s oldest ecosystems and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Stretching along the southern shores of the Caspian Sea, these forests date back more than 40 million years and contain trees that are up to 500 years old, according to UNESCO.