The fire that started at around 8 pm on Tuesday, Tir 21, 1401 (2022) in the forest of Persepolis campus, though contained with the efforts of the fire department, makes one wonder: If, according to Hamid Fadaie, manager of the Persepolis world heritage site “Persepolis campus is not a public park”, and if this area is protected as part of the world heritage complex, then, how is it that it is not protected by the Cultural Heritage Department, to prevent fire and other possible damages to it?
Why is this forest not irrigated during drought, and its trees are not prevented from drying up? And how is it that some people simply damage their surface and bark so that the tree’s gum is empty and the tree dries up over time without being taken care of and those responsible for the damages held accountable?
Following the fire in the Persepolis campus, Hamid Fadaei, director of the Persepolis World Heritage Site, said in an interview with IRNA: “A part of the Persepolis forest caught fire, and this fire was due to the carelessness of travelers who lit a fire in this place for cooking.”
According to Hamid Fadaei, some travelers and tourists think that the Persepolis campus is a park, but the Persepolis campus is not a park, and we should use all our efforts to protect this complex.
The Director of the World Heritage Site of Persepolis continued: “Unfortunately, the strong wind caused the fire to intensify and spread in the forest.” Of course, the fire brigade was dispatched quickly to the fireplace, and the fire was contained with the help of the fire brigade and natural resources. Stating that there are 80 hectares of forests around the world complex of Persepolis, he said: About 1,000 to 2,000 square meters of these forests have caught fire. An estimate of the damages is supposed to be made by noon so that the extent of the damage, and the number of trees burned in the fire will be clarified.
Pointing out that the perpetrators of this incident have not been identified yet, Fadaei said: Fire and natural resources forces are still present at the site and are on standby.
He continued by stating that we are in a terrible period due to continuous drought, and we are facing a water shortage even to irrigate the trees of this forest. The Persepolis campus cannot accept any passengers. Many of the trees in this complex have already dried up.
Fadaie added: “We hope that plans will be made and executed in the future, to set rules for visitors and tourists to this complex. Currently, keeping the limited facilities in mind, the presence of tourists in this place is not correct and causes dangers.
It should be noted that the historical monument of Persepolis, which remains from the Achaemenid period, is one of the registered historical monuments of Fars province in the list of world monuments, which was registered in 1979 with number 114 in the World Scientific and Cultural Organization of the United Nations (UNESCO). The world complex of Persepolis is located in Marodasht city, 55 km north of Shiraz.
