Feb 27, 2019
BENGALURU: About 3000 hectares of forest has been destroyed in a wildfire in
the Bandipur tiger reserve near Bengaluru.
With the help of the Air Force the blaze that had been raging in winds has
been brought under control now. Helicopters sprayed water. Around 1000 people
including hundreds of forest staff were engaged in the massive operation of
firefighting for the last five days.
The fire was detected last Friday and the Forest Survey of India had given
the alert at 2 pm.
Hundreds of animals have perished. It is reported that the fire was manmade.
It is suspected some disgruntled contractors who were denied the job of fire-
watching this season could have set off the fire.
The ISRO also undertakes the job of fire monitoring in Bandipur from February
to June, the vulnerable period. It too had given the alert, it is reportefd.
According to ISRO, 10,920.92 acres of forests has been burnt.
The Bandipur, Nagarahole, Wayanad, Mudumalai and Sathyamangalam Tiger Landscape
is spread across the states of Karnataka (Bandipur-Nagarahole), Tamil Nadu (Mudumalai-Sathyamangalam)
and Kerala (Wayanad).