Iraq sees nearly 60% drop in fire incidents in 2025

Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraq recorded a 58% drop in fire incidents in 2025, according to the Civil Defense Directorate, which also received top recognition for its public awareness efforts at the 20th Conference of Civil Protection and Civil Defense Chiefs in the Arab world.

Nuas Sabah Shaker, head of the directorate’s Relations and Media Department, told Shafaq News that the decline “reflects greater public awareness, stricter enforcement of safety regulations, and improved firefighting capacity,” noting that demand for safety equipment rose sharply after the July 2025 Kut hypermarket blaze, which killed more than 70 people.

The directorate has since tightened penalties for safety violations and proposed legal amendments allowing the closure of noncompliant facilities until they meet required standards. “More than 9,400 establishments were temporarily shut down this year across Iraq, excluding the Kurdistan Region, most of which reopened after meeting safety conditions,” Shaker said.

He added that the Civil Defense has expanded its workforce and opened over 100 new fire and rescue units, equipped with modern vehicles and tools imported from Germany, Japan, the United States, and South Korea. For the first time since its establishment in 1956, the directorate has also deployed helicopters dedicated to firefighting and rescue missions.