Forest Fire Near Iran's Evin Prison Causes Landmine Explosions

On Friday, Iran's judiciary announced that a forest fire, caused by extreme heat, briefly ignited in grassy areas around Evin Prison in northern Tehran, leading to the explosion of landmines in a secure area surrounding the facility. The judiciary's news agency, Mizan, reported that the fire, which lasted "only a few minutes," was quickly brought under control and caused no damage to the prison's facilities. The agency added, "The fire spread to the protected hilly area around Evin Prison and caused several landmines to explode." Human Rights Watch indicates that the prison has expanded over the years to consist of several buildings. The unprecedented heat this summer forced the government to declare Wednesday and Thursday as public holidays. Many cities in southern Iran have already experienced days of extreme heat, with state media reporting temperatures exceeding 51 degrees Celsius in the southern city of Ahvaz.