Balasore: Handicapped by manpower shortage, the forest department has reportedly failed to contain wildfires, which have been destroying flora and fauna at several places in Devagiri hill under Kuldiha range and parts of Soro range in Odisha’s Balasore district for the last 8 days.
Sources said many valuable trees, medicinal plants and creepers along with some fauna have been reduced to ashes in large tracts of Devagiri hill. However, shortage of manpower has put a spanner on the the ongoing efforts to douse the blaze.
Concerned over the unchecked wildfires, people of some surrounding villages have now lent a helping hand to the forest department. Four youths and a woman of the locality, who were dousing fire in Devagiri hill, said that the department is unable to find the reason behind the fires.
He further pointed out that some locals have been setting the forest on fire to flush out wild animals for hunting.
Wildfires were also reported from Nuapada and Keonjhar districts.
It is pertinent to mention here that wildfires had already destroyed flora and fauna in Nisani and Ranidunguri forests under Lakhana range of Nuapada.
