Mysuru: Fire at Chamundi Hill forest here yesterday, has destroyed 35 acres of area, with no loss to the lives of wild animals and no major destruction of flora and fauna, except for two dried up trees.

DCF, Mysuru, Division, Dr. K.N. Basavaraju explained the media persons about the incident and action taken, at Aranya Bhavan, in the city this morning.

DCF Dr. Basavaraju said, it is an act of miscreants, and a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered in this regard. The mobile phone networks that were active during the fire mishap are also being assessed, as part of the investigation into the incident.

Saying that, no major fire had occurred at the hill after the year 2020, DCF Dr. Basavaraju said, precautions had been taken by building 65 km of fire line. Besides, awareness was created among the tourists, devotees and residents of the hill, against throwing un-extinguished cigarette and beedi butts, indiscriminately in the hill area, displaying their social responsibility.

Regarding the incident, DCF Dr. Basavaraju said, as the fire occurred at the area of the forest replete with gorge and a rocky surface, the operation to douse the fire was indeed challenging. Moreover, the wind was blowing at the speed of about 45 km and maximum temperature was recorded between 30 and 32 degree Celsius that aggravated the flames further.

“By 11.30 pm, fire was doused, bringing the situation under total control,” said DCF Dr. Basavaraju.

As an additional measure, four teams have been constituted to check the cinders and extinguish them with a spray of water. One fire tender and three Quick Response Vehicles have been deputed. That apart, aerial survey was conducted through drone camera, at about 11.30 am today. There are  no traces of wildlife deaths,” clarified Dr. Basavaraju.

Amid this, two adult leopards along with two cubs, were spotted near Devikere atop the hill in the morning, said DCF Dr. Basavaraju.

The fire had erupted at two different places of the forest at about 12.30 pm yesterday, that engulfed the forest area in no time, with the already dried up vegetation due to summer heat, covering the forest area near the turn at Lalithadripura lake and the road leading to Jwalamukhi Sri Tripurasundari Amma Temple at S. Uttanahalli.

By the time, the Forest personnel on regular patrolling at the forest area reached the spot, the speed of the wind had spread the flame further, changing its course in no time. As the operation to douse fire began near Lalithadripura lake area, the flame had spread towards the forest area winding towards Uttanahalli too. The hundreds of Fire and Emergency Services personnel and Forest men, risked their lives to combat the fire, as the raging flame had touched the peak of the hill, keeping the residents atop the hill on tenterhooks.

Though the severity of the flame followed by the billowing thick smoke posed a bigger challenge, the Fire and Forest personnel aided by the volunteers, took part in the operation. On the other hand, vehicle traffic was restricted on Uttanahalli-Chamundi Hill road, as a precautionary measure.

Four fire tenders from various Fire Stations in the city were deputed to extinguish the fire, along with one each from T. Narasipura and Srirangapatna Fire Stations, that were joined by Five Quick Response Vehicles (QRV) of the Forest Department, in the Operation to douse the fire.

Conservator of Forest (CF) Dr. Malathi Priya, DCFs Dr. K.N. Basavaraju and Dr. I.B. Prabhu Gowda, Forest Department officials, Regional Fire Officer (RFO) Jayaramaiah, District Fire Officer Chandan and other officials supervised the operation.