Major fire breaks out at Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka

MYSURU: The forest checkposts at Tiger Reserve and Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta forest at Gundlupet taluk in Chamarajangara district forest were closed after major fire erupted in the region on Saturday morning. The fire spread over 200 acres of forest land.

The weekend travellers were stranded near Melkammanahalli gate of Tiger Reserve which connects Mysuru – Ooty as the gate was closed due to fire. The foresters have stopped even KSRTC bus service for devotees to Gopalswamy Temple atop Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta.

Bus services to Gopalswamy Temple have also been stopped

The fire, which was first noticed on Friday at Kunthuru Lake near Melkammanahalli gate of Bandipur Tiger Reserve, spread to Gopalaswamy Betta range. Immediately, the forest officers, guards and wildlife volunteers along with fire service staff rushed to the spot and started dousing the fire.

However, due to dry grass and heavy wind in the region, the fire spread to other areas. The fire has even spread to Lakkigudda, Kaniyanapura, Kalligowdanahalli villages coming under Gopalaswamy Betta Forest Range.

The weekend travellers were stranded near Melkammanahalli gate of tiger reserve

Gundlupet wildlife activist Shantha Murthy told TOI that he and his friends are helping the forest department in dousing the fire which was noticed at Magginahalli at around 3.30 am on Saturday. “Due to fire, the tourists to Gopalaswamy Betta and commuters who travel from Bandipur Tiger Reserve were stopped at checkpost on Saturday. Hundreds of villagers too are helping the foresters to douse the fire,” he said.

Gundlupet Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) Hangala president Mahadevappa told TOI that the hundreds of acres of forest land has been destroyed in fire which started on Friday. “I suspect that the fire is a man-made. The fire is spreading rapidly and foresters are unable to control it. Hundreds of wild animals have been killed in the fire,” he said.

Chamarajanagar district fire officer KP Naveen Kumar told TOI that they are dousing the fire at Yedabetta attached to Bandipur Tiger Reserve near Government Medical College. “We have deployed three fire engines at the place after we received fire call at around 10.30 am. We are trying our best to douse the fire and prevent it from spreading to other place,” he said.