Even before the forest department came out of distress following unprecedented wildfires reported in various parts of Nagarhole National Park in February, the core tiger habitat was once again put to the mercy of man-made fires on Tuesday. Multiple fires were allegedly stoked by some miscreants in Kallalla forest range, which is a sensitive zone and critical habitat for big cats and elephants.
Though the forest department has deployed additional forces, the hot and dry conditions, coupled with extensive dry bamboo vegetation, is helping the miscreants start fires easily and escape. The fire is spreading rapidly, making fire-fighting operations extremely difficult. The fire was restricted to small pockets, thanks to the steps taken by officials after the February tragedy, which gutted over 800 hectares of forest in Nagarhole Park.
Assistant Conservator of Forests Belliappa expressed the department’s helplessness and said miscreants stoked fire in 10 different areas spread across four ranges. “When we tried to douse fire in one pocket, fresh fires were reported at another end. It’s is easy to criticise us, but what can the department do? The fires were brought under control by 5 pm on Tuesday with the help of around 200 tribals.”
Rough estimates suggest that around 300 acres of forests were destroyed on Tuesday. But the officials refused to give the figures, saying the extent of damage can be estimated after a proper survey on Wednesday. Sources said extensive damage has been caused to Kallalla range. Fires were stoked along Karmad road and Anesanthegaddi. Fire was also reported from Basava-nabetta in Chamarajanagar district which destroyed around 15 acres of forest.
With no signs of rain, the situation remains volatile at the ground level. The forest department has intensified patrolling on fringes of the forest.