In early November, a large-scale fire broke out in the Hyrkan forests of northern Iran, which are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.[2][3] After a few days, it was brought under control, but on November 15 it flared up again and continued to spread due to strong winds and unusually strong drought.[2][3] The Hyrkan forests form a belt of deciduous and mixed forests approximately 1,000 kilometers long along the shores of the Caspian Sea and the northern slopes of the Alborz Mountains as far as Azerbaijan.[2][3] The authorities have not yet published data on the extent of the damage or the total burnt area.[2][3] According to the Iranian news agency Tasnim, the fire was allegedly started by hunters in the rocky area of Elit in Mazandaran province.[2][3] Iran also requested foreign assistance in extinguishing the fire and, as a preventive measure, ordered a ban on entering forest areas outside protected areas and national parks to prevent similar incidents.[2][3]