TEHRAN — Assigning more than 10 million hectares of forests across the country to the public has resulted in less wildfire, the director of Forest, Range, and Watershed Organization has said.

Assigning forests to the public in the current year (starting on March 20) not only led to fewer wildfire but also caused forests to develop, Khodakaram Jalali said, ISNA news agency reported.

Jalali also regretted the fact that deforestation has intensified dust storms in the country.

“With some one million hectares of forests being destroyed in Iran dust storms become stronger,” he regretted.

MQ/MG