20230513 Lesser fire accidents this summer at Bandipur, Nagarahole tiger reserves
India May 13 2023 “Forest”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 0 or unknown Injured : injured 0 or unknown
Lesser fire accidents this summer at Bandipur, Nagarahole tiger reserves
Updated: 2023-05-13
MYSURU: Animal lovers have good news from Bandipur and Nagarahole Tiger Reserves. Both forest regions have witnessed fewer fire mishaps during the current summer, which is considered ‘fire season’ by forest authorities. With rain lashing the forest region in the last week, officers breathed a sigh of relief.
Fire accidents are a major concern for foresters during summer. For the first time, the tiger reserves have not seen major fires and recorded the lowest number of fire incidents in Karnataka this season. Kali Tiger Reserve and other wildlife areas have seen more fires than these two protected areas with the highest tiger population.
P Ramesh Kumar, director of Bandipur Tiger Reserve, attributed the achievement to all the ground-level staff without whom they could not have contained fire mishaps in the summer. Only five fire incidents were reported this ‘fire season,’ Ramesh stated. All these fire incidents were ground fires. Within an hour, these fires were brought under control using advanced equipment including blowers that officers used to douse the fire in quick time.
In all, 55 blowers were given to all staff at vulnerable points. Precautionary measures taken well in advance before summer have helped contain the fire this season. Ramesh Kumar told TOI that fires were less in the forest for two years, and this season it almost came to nought, barring a few minor incidents.
Bandipur forest faced the most devastating fire in 2019, and authorities attributed the fires to sabotage. Arrests were made in connection with the fire incidents.
Nagarahole hasn’t experienced any fires this season. Harshakumar Chikkanaragund, director of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, told TOI that this season there was only ground fire in the Anechowkur range, and about 11 hectares of grass was destroyed. Otherwise, there was no major fire.
With rain lashing the forests for the last week, personnel are stress-free, as the ‘fire season’ has ended without any major challenge. A decade ago, a major fire destroyed more than 600 hectares of vegetation and dislodged various ground species and birds from the forest. The Nagarahole forest has witnessed fires regularly but this season ended peacefully for foresters.
Web Source: The Times of India