Massive fire breaks out in Odisha's Similipal Tiger Reserve
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Bhubaneshwar, Mar 5: The Similipal Tiger Reserves in Odisha has underwent massive fires that believably broke in the biosphere reserve situated in the Mayurbhanj district. The Odisha government has claimed that there was no loss of life in the Similipal National Park fire, which has been raging for around a week and continues to rage the forest area.
According to the govt's statements, the Odisha state govt is trying to control the wildfires under and are all necessary steps are being taken to avert any loss of life and major effect on biodiversity. The forest officials and activists have highlighted that, there are several man-made factors as well natural causes that have led to the wildfires. The natural causes include lighting, even soaring temperatures, dry conditions, lesser rainfall and similar other causes. Further, during the summer season, the leaves get dry so much so that even a spark could lead to the raging fire.
In the forest areas, poachers and hunters are accused of setting fire in small areas to divert the wild animals which often lead to the widespread wildfires. These for now, remain to be the possible causes of the wildfire with uncertain claims of the actual cause of the massive fire. The wildfire has so far gutted 8 out of the 21 ranges of the Simlipal forest division. The fire has spread to Anandapur, Khandachira and Balinal hills in the southern part of the reserve. The wildfires have also reached Mituani and Kendumundi forests, under the Thakurmunda range of the reserve.
The Simlipal forest reserve area witnesses forest fires quite often in the dry weather conditions. According to the Regional Conservator of the forest, there are 399 identified fire points along the fringe areas bordering the forest. All the points remain vulnerable to wildfires whenever summer arrives. The wild fire is a recurrent annual disaster, however, with the govt’s efforts, the calamity has been considerably bought under control.
The Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Prakash Javadekar had also sought a report on the devastating fire at the Park, which is one of the major biospheres in the country. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik instructed officials to be vigilant and take all precautionary measures to combat the forest fire. CM Patnaik said that "Similipal is not only a treasure trove of Odisha or India but also an invaluable asset of the whole world".