ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq has recorded more than 3000 fire incidents in the first six months of this year, the Iraqi Civil Defense Directorate reported Tuesday. The figure, which excludes the Kurdistan Region, represents a significant decrease compared to the same period in 2024.
"In the first six months of this year, a total of 3,018 fire incidents occurred," according to data submitted to Rudaw. "The fire incidents have seen a 58 percent decrease compared to last year's same period."
Firefighters managed to save goods and assets worth nearly 34 billion Iraqi dinars (around $26 million) from damage or destruction.
“A number of strict safety measures have been taken,” the directorate stated, noting that "violators were also punished."
Despite the decline in incidents, deadly fires continue to occur.
Last week, seven members of a single family died when their home caught fire in Baghdad. In mid-July, a blaze at a shopping mall in al-Kut, the capital of Wasit province, claimed the lives of 63 people. The tragedy led Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani to dismiss several provincial officials, including the governor of Wasit.
Fires remain a persistent threat across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, particularly during the summer months when soaring temperatures increase the risk of electrical faults and other hazards.
Contributing factors include aging infrastructure, overcrowded public areas, poor electrical systems, and the widespread absence of basic fire safety measures.