Heavy rainfall since the last few days in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar belt doused the fear of forest fire for the current year.
The forest department officials have heaved a sigh of relief due to rains which continues to range from intermittent to intense especially in the evenings.
All parts of Bandipur have received good rains and was particularly heavy on Monday, May 1, according to Ramesh Kumar, Director of Bandipur Tiger Reserve. He said the services of the temporary watchers who are roped in for 4 months from January to April, have been dispensed with and the fire season is official closed, said Ramesh Kumar.
Normally, Moolehole receives good rains while the other ranges including Omkara, Hediyala, Gundre, Kundugere etc. do not receive adequate rains. But all the ranges have received heavy rains and even the deployment of fire service personnel and their equipment have been withdrawn. He said there have been only five fire incidents in Bandipur and the damage was negligible.
In BRT Hills, the rains have covered almost 85 per cent of the tiger received and apart from the hilly areas even forests bordering Tamil Nadu side have received heavy rains and the season of fire could be considered over for the current year, said Deep J. Contractor, Director of BRT Tiger Reserve.
Heavy rains lashed Nagarahole for almost a week and the threat of fire is over, said Mr. Harshakumar, Director, Nagarahole. Almost 400 temporary watchers are appointed till April 15 every year and this year, their services were extended till April 30 as the heat was intense. But with good rains and wide coverage of the forests, their deployment has been withdrawn, he said.
Bandipur-Nagarahole-BRT Tiger Reserve have a history of forest fires in summer and are on their toes for almost three months till the pre-monsoon rains lash the region.
