Fire breaks out on Mount Sevin near Erbil, spreads due to strong winds

ERBIL, Iraq — A fire broke out Saturday on Mount Sevin, northeast of the Kurdish Region capital of Erbil, and continued to spread due to strong winds, residents of Ziyaret village at the foot of the mountain said. The residents said the blaze started from an unknown cause and that the windy conditions kept pushing the flames outward. Villagers said firefighters were unable to reach the site because the terrain is rugged and there is no road leading to the fire. They said those conditions have hampered extinguishing efforts and that the blaze remains out of control. Mount Sevin is among the highest peaks in the Kurdistan Region, with one slope facing the Semaquli valley and the other overlooking the Shaqlawa district. No further details on the fire were immediately available.