Crop fires damage farmland in Nineveh and Kirkuk

MOSUL, Iraq — A fire in farmland in Tel Jamal village in the Tal Afar district of Nineveh burned more than 15 dunams of crops, a security source said. The blaze was caused by a spark from a harvesting machine, according to the source. Civil defense teams quickly brought the flames under control and prevented the fire from spreading to hundreds of dunams planted with wheat and barley. The response limited the damage to the field where the fire started. A separate fire also broke out in wheat fields in the Yayci subdistrict of Kirkuk, damaging about 10 dunams of crops. Teams went to the area after receiving a report and worked to put out the blaze. The source said the response prevented the fire from spreading to nearby land and saved about 300 dunams. An investigation has been opened to determine the cause of the Kirkuk fire.