Nearly 60 acres of forest were affected by a major fire, ostensibly triggered by some unidentified miscreants, at Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple Tiger (BRT) Reserve, in Chamarajanagar district on Saturday.
The fire was first noticed around 9.30 a.m. near P.G. Palya in the Bylur range of BRT Tiger Reserve. The fire was set off in an incline at Doddasampige reserve forest where the terrain was steep and approach difficult. Besides, extreme heat and wind were fanning the flames which consumed about 60 acres of forest land, according to authorities who described the blaze as a ground fire.
More than 60 field staff and personnel led by Deputy Conservator of Forests, Deep Contractor, strived hard to douse the blaze which was brought under control by evening.
