Rajkot: More than 300 firefighters including forest personnel, firemen, trackers, wildlife activists and locals of neighboring areas successfully doused the forest fire that threatened to engulf the Mitiala Wildlife Sanctuary. Amreli District, a protected area for Asiatic lions. The fire spread to large grasslands of about 250 acres on Friday evening, but the fire was brought under control, which could have caused any harm to lions and other wildlife, an official said on Saturday.
Talking to TOI’s Ramesh, Junagadh Chief Conservator of Forests, who is also holding the additional charge of wildlife circle, said, “So far no animal casualty has been reported in the fire. The area will be scanned for the next three days to see if there is a sick or injured animal that needs immediate treatment.
A fire broke out in government barren land on the outskirts of Nanudi It took 18 hours for firefighters to douse the fire in the village known as Lapla Pahari in Khambha revenue area of Amreli district.
Ramesh further said that some pieces of tall grass are still burning and efforts are on to extinguish it completely. Forest personnel of all ranks of the three forest ranges fall (East), Shatrunjayand Amreli Social Forestry, apart from the district administration, police, 40 fire brigade personnel and 10 fire tenders helped douse the forest fire.
Amreli collector Gaurang Makwana “The Mitiyala forest range, which is located nearby, remains safe from fire. We did not allow the fire to reach the drain dividing the two areas,” he said.
Incidents of fire were not uncommon in the area. The collector said that lions in these areas run away into the forest before being hit by the fire, adding that no animal carcass has been found so far and the area will be investigated for the next three days. (with agencies)
Talking to TOI’s Ramesh, Junagadh Chief Conservator of Forests, who is also holding the additional charge of wildlife circle, said, “So far no animal casualty has been reported in the fire. The area will be scanned for the next three days to see if there is a sick or injured animal that needs immediate treatment.
A fire broke out in government barren land on the outskirts of Nanudi It took 18 hours for firefighters to douse the fire in the village known as Lapla Pahari in Khambha revenue area of Amreli district.
Ramesh further said that some pieces of tall grass are still burning and efforts are on to extinguish it completely. Forest personnel of all ranks of the three forest ranges fall (East), Shatrunjayand Amreli Social Forestry, apart from the district administration, police, 40 fire brigade personnel and 10 fire tenders helped douse the forest fire.
Amreli collector Gaurang Makwana “The Mitiyala forest range, which is located nearby, remains safe from fire. We did not allow the fire to reach the drain dividing the two areas,” he said.
Incidents of fire were not uncommon in the area. The collector said that lions in these areas run away into the forest before being hit by the fire, adding that no animal carcass has been found so far and the area will be investigated for the next three days. (with agencies)