Mysuru/BIDAR

A massive forest fire has reduced thousands of trees to ashes and damaged wildlife across around 50 acres in the Hanur Buffer Zone of the MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in Hanur taluk, Chamarajanagar district.

The fire, which broke out near the Pacchedoddi and Beladakere forest areas on Saturday evening, initially spread across 20 acres before engulfing nearly 50 acres. The blaze posed a severe threat to wildlife, including Indian gaur, elephants, leopards, wild bears, and other animals that inhabit the Hanur Buffer Zone.

Speaking to reporters, Hanur Buffer Zone Range Forest Officer Praveen said his department swiftly took action to control the fire. With the help of local residents, forest staff, and firefighters, they managed to bring the blaze under control through continuous firefighting operations.

"Even though officials are taking preventive measures to stop such forest fires in the early morning, miscreants are setting fire to dry grass in the evening during peak summer to encourage fresh vegetation growth after the rains. These man-made fire disasters pose a serious threat to the department," he said.

Meanwhile, in another incident a massive fire broke out in the Shahapur Research Forest Zone, near Bidar city, causing extensive damage to vegetation on Sunday. The fire, believed to have started accidentally, quickly spread, affecting large parts of the forest area.

Additionally, the blaze spread to haystacks stored by farmers in nearby fields, further damaging approximately 15 to 20 acres of land. The presence of trenches and wire fencing around the forest made firefighting efforts challenging for officials and local responders.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, while efforts are underway to assess the full extent of the damage.