Bengaluru: Thousands of acres of forests in two major tiger reserves – Bandipur and Nagarhole – have been gutted in a forest fire. Despite attempts by the forest department and wildlife supporters, to put out the fire in Bandipur, it has gone out of control and was burning fiercely till late Friday night.
The fire started on Mangala Road in Bandipur and spread to the forest on Ooty Road by evening. Heavy winds foiled attempts to douse the fire. Though fire-lines (creating a gap between two forest patches to stop the fire from spreading) were made in Bandipur reserve, lantana and dry bamboo clumps helped the fire to spread.
Officials admit that at least 1,000 acres of forest is burnt in Bandipur and 700 acres in Aanechoukur Range, Nagarhole. Fires are also raging in the Titimati forest in Virajpet division. Officials said the fires were lit on purpose by villagers living around the forest.
The forest department had announced that fire cases in tiger reserves will be handed over to the CBI for investigation. "The forest fires are a serious issue and we will be handing over the investigations to the CBI unit. If strict action is not taken against the miscreants, forest fires will continue every year," said Mr R. Gokul, director of Nagarhole Tiger Reserve.
Local people allege that the forest department is ill prepared to fight such fires. In many places the fire-lines were not created and enough manpower was not in place to fight the fire.
“In fact, the forest department has a provision to appoint fire-watchers during summer season when the fire incidents are common in the forests. There are also revenge fires where villagers involved in wildlife cases torch the forests. There were not enough fire-watchers available in Bandipur when the fire broke out. The safari drivers from Jungle Lodges and Resorts were made to work in fire fighting. Some of the drivers had to work till late at night to fight the fire,” said a conservationist from Mysore.
Conservationists are not sure that the CBI will have the time and manpower to investigate forest fire cases.
