Baripada: Wildfires spread to 30 places in Similipal National Park by Sunday amid the long dry spell and intense heatwave prevailing over Odisha’s Mayurbhanj.
According to sources, maximum fire points were detected in Gudgudiya range and 10 among them have been extinguished using fire blower machines and by restoring fire lines in affected areas. “The operation is underway on a war footing in Similipal Tiger Reserve. We have engaged staff and firefighting squads in all sensitive locations to attend the fire points,” regional chief conservator of forests and STR field director Prakash Chand Gogineni was quoted as saying.
The Forest department has mobilised 370 fire protection squads and 330 fire fighting vehicles to deal with such incidents. Around 4,800 blower machines have also been provided at the field level. Disaster rapid action force personnel have also been engaged to douse the fires.
As many as 13 fire points were detected within Similipal on Saturday when the mercury breached the 45 degrees Celsius mark in the district. Mayurbhanj will continue to remain in the grip of severe heatwave for another 24 hours.
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While confirming the outbreak of fires, Gogineni had earlier said that eight points were identified within the north division jurisdiction and five points within the south division jurisdiction of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR).
Notably, Odisha witnessed a surge in forest fire incidents with close to 1,400 wildfire points being detected on Saturday and 117 of these were in Baripada circle of which STR is a part. Fire points were detected in at least 16 places, including Nawana, Joranda, Jodapal, Dhudruchampa, Badamakabadi and Rajabasa of Similipal reserve forest and Mayurbhanj reserve forest within STR, Baripada division, Forest Survey of India (FSI) data revealed.
The number of large fire points also increased to 127 from 107 within 24 hours, it added.
