High temperature, dearth of summer rain, heavy wind and dry bamboo groves besides withered undergrowth, are the major concerns of the wildlife managers in Wayanad during the summer.
Accumulation of combustible materials, especially withered lantana plants has made the forest areas in the district a tinderbox. Close to 10 hectares of forestland in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, two hectares of grassland in the South Wayanad forest division, and nearly four hectares of grassland in the North Wayanad forest division were devastated by forest fires recently.
Fire incidences were reported from the forest patches in Sulthan Bathery, Kurichyad, and Muthanga forest ranges under the sanctuary. However such reports were yet to be reported from the Tholpetty forest range, sanctuary sources said.
