Forest fire in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve doused after three days
Dense growth of dry broom and lemon grass, coupled with strong winds and high temperatures, contributed to the spread of the flames
Forest personnel, backed by nearby residents, managed to extinguish a forest fire in Kambathrayan Hill of the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve on Thursday night, after a three-day struggle. The fire ignited on Tuesday night and swiftly spread across the steep terrain, causing widespread damage to grass and vegetation. The blaze was fueled by dense dry broom and lemon grass, coupled with strong winds and elevated temperatures.
Over 100 personnel from the Forest Department, spanning multiple ranges, joined forces with local villagers for the operation. They relied heavily on manual efforts, as the affected area was inaccessible by vehicles and hard to reach. K. Rajkumar, Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director of the STR, revealed to The Hindu that the teams persisted despite high winds and temperatures to contain and douse the fire on Thursday night.
He further noted that patrolling of the region was ongoing on Friday, with an assessment of the vegetation damage being conducted via drones. Factors such as tall grass, particularly Seemar grass, strong winds, high temperatures, and the challenging terrain posed significant hurdles for the teams, he added.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
