A fire caused by a military drill during a Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ maneuver has burnt down vast areas of Lake Urmia's national park, sources told Avatoday.
Some 6 hectares (nearly 15 acres) of the national park’s wetland around Lake Urmia were burnt following a military exercise on Thursday, Akbar Mohammadian, head of Naqadeh city's Environmental Protection Department said.
"Military exercises should be held in areas that would cause the least amount of damage," he explained, criticizing the drill.
Mohammadian hadn’t elaborate on the damage caused by the fire, but said the fire especially killed the birds living in the area.
Solduz wetland has an area of more than 375 hectares (927 acres) and is located on the south shore of Lake Urmia on the outskirts of Naqadeh city.
