Sanandaj– Environmental activist Hamid Moradi dies following Abidar Mountain wildfire — Five others severely injured

Hengaw – Friday, July 25, 2025 

Hamid Moradi, a well-known environmental activist and licensed attorney in Sanandaj (Sineh), has died from critical injuries sustained while battling a large wildfire in the Abidar Mountain range. The fire, which erupted on Thursday, July 24, 2025, behind Koodak Park, spread rapidly due to dry conditions and lack of emergency response infrastructure, reaching the Zagros neighborhood and Hassanabad area.

According to reports received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Moradi was hospitalized at Kawsar Hospital in critical condition with severe burns and passed away in the early hours of Friday, July 25. His body has been transferred to the Behesht-e Mohammadi cemetery in Sanandaj, where he is scheduled to be buried later today.

At least five environmental and civil society activists sustained serious burns while responding to the fire alongside local volunteers. They have been identified as Mohsen Hosseini-Panahi, Khabat Amini, Chiako Yousefinejad, Arias Salimi, and Seyed Mostafa Hojabri. Among them, Chiako Yousefinejad is in critical condition and admitted to the ICU.

Several other individuals suffered from smoke inhalation and minor injuries, receiving on-site treatment. Eyewitnesses confirmed that the firefighting efforts were carried out almost entirely by local volunteers and activists, as official agencies failed to provide adequate support. While state-affiliated media claimed that firefighting teams were dispatched, multiple sources told Hengaw that their role was limited to evacuating the injured and that they did not significantly contribute to containing the blaze.

This tragic incident underscores the severe risks faced by environmental defenders in Kurdistan, who are often left to tackle emergencies without institutional support. In recent years, suspected arson attacks have sparked numerous wildfires in the region’s forests and rangelands. The Iranian government’s persistent lack of preparedness, equipment, and coordination has forced civilians and grassroots environmentalists to shoulder the burden alone.