Hossein Sajedi-Nia, head of the national disaster agency, said coordinated efforts launched since Saturday, including deployment of crisis-response teams from the capital Tehran to Mazandaran, had brought the blaze “under control.”
He said firefighting operations were planned from both the eastern and western fronts, with participation from local fire brigades, the Red Crescent, natural resources and environmental agencies, and community volunteers.
Authorities also created firebreaks and conducted multiple water-dropping flights using heavy aircraft, which Sajedi-Nia said helped significantly reduce flames and smoke, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.
Mazandaran Governor Mehdi Yousefi-Rostami said more than 500 trained responders, along with specialized teams from Tehran and Alborz, were operating at the scene.
He added that aerial support included eight helicopters and two Il-76 water-bombing aircraft, each carrying 40-ton loads.
The forest area near the village of Elite has experienced repeated fires in recent weeks. Approximately eight hectares have burned, with authorities reporting that roughly seven hectares are now extinguished and less than one hectare remains active.
Officials warned that dry vegetation, difficult terrain and weather conditions continue to complicate full containment efforts.
