𝗨𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀

𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁: 𝗨𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀

𝗧𝗼:
▪︎ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱
▪︎ 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆
▪︎ 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
▪︎ 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀
▪︎ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆

Dear Respected Leaders, Partners, and Friends of Somaliland,

The Somaliland Intellectual Forum (SLIF) expresses its deepest concern and sorrow over the devastating wildfire currently raging across the Gaacidh farmlands and surrounding areas of the Daallo Mountains in the Sanaag region. This unfolding crisis has already destroyed more than 200 farms, wiped out vital sources of rural livelihood, and placed one of Somaliland’s most treasured ecological and tourism zones in grave jeopardy.

The fire began in the early hours of June 30, 2025 and has since spread at an alarming pace. Within less than ten hours, it has consumed an estimated 60 square kilometers of forest in the Daallo ecosystem—home to ancient woodlands, rare plant life, and species unique to this region. Despite the courageous efforts of local communities armed with nothing more than branches, shovels, and water containers the blaze remains dangerously uncontrolled.
This wildfire has clearly surpassed the current response capacity of the Somaliland government. Its scale and speed of destruction are dangerously close to the kinds of wildfires seen in global forest disasters, such as those in the Amazon. For this reason, we urge the government to swiftly seek international assistance before the damage becomes irreversible.

This is a national emergency. The loss goes far beyond trees and farmland. The wildfire has inflicted:

🔸️The destruction of centuries-old forests and rare flora, some of which exist nowhere else in Somaliland.
🔸️A collapse of local tourism and ecotourism-based livelihoods tied to Daallo’s natural beauty.
🔸️The displacement of farming families, undermining food security and economic stability in the region.
🔸️Severe threats to wildlife and the irreversible loss of biodiversity.

In response, we at SLIF urgently call upon:

1. The Government of Somaliland to declare a state of emergency and coordinate a national-level response, mobilizing both civilian and institutional resources to contain the blaze and support recovery.

2. International humanitarian organizations, climate and environmental agencies, and Somaliland’s private sector to step forward with immediate assistance. This includes aerial firefighting support, fire containment tools, emergency food and shelter, technical experts, and logistical coordination.

3. The Somaliland Diaspora to act quickly—through financial contributions, fundraising campaigns, and resource mobilization—to assist in both immediate response and long-term recovery.

This is not just an environmental disaster. It is a human crisis, an economic blow, and a cultural loss. The Daallo Mountains are more than landscape; they are a living symbol of Somaliland’s natural heritage, a pillar of local sustainability, and a sacred link between communities and the land they have protected for generations.

Let this be a moment where national unity meets global solidarity. Let our collective action speak louder than the flames.

SLIF stands ready to assist; in advocacy, coordination, research, and communication; with any partner or institution committed to protecting Daallo, supporting its people, and restoring what has been lost.

With urgency, resolve, and shared purpose,

𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗺 (𝗦𝗟𝗜𝗙)
𝗘-𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹: 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗺@𝗴𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗶𝘀𝗮, 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱