400 hectares gutted in forest fire, no casualty: Forest Dept

18-02-2009
400 hectares gutted in forest fire, no casualty: Forest Dept
Zeenews
http://www.zeenews.com/states/2009-02-18/508567news.html

Amreli, Feb 18: In one of the worst ever forest fires, around 400 hectares of land was burnt in Mityana, a part of the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, but, the forest department (FD) officials claimed that no animals casualties were reported.

"Around 400 hectares of hilly forest land, covered with grasses five to six feet tall, was affected in the forest fire that broke out yesterday," forest department officials said.

"It was a tough task to control the fire as the Mityana is a hilly terrain. Around 500 people, including the forest staff, did an all out effort to control the fire by 0300 hours this morning," they said.

"Animals like lions do not live on hilly terrain, so there was no threat to their lives. We have also not found bodies of any small animals from the affected area so far," officials said, adding that the reason of fire was yet to be ascertained.

The forest area houses deer, leopards and lions.

Bureau Report