Coimbatore : Forest officials and volunteers are fighting hard to put out a major forest fire that broke out last evening in the Jakkanari hills, in the Mettupalayam range yesterday.
Coimbatore : Forest officials and volunteers are fighting hard to put out a major forest fire that broke out last evening in the Jakkanari hills, in the Mettupalayam range yesterday.
The fire spread quickly due to the dry forest cover in the area. With the Kallar river nearby drying up, the usual green cover found in the foothills of the Nilgiris resembles a dried up forest, at present. While initially there was just smoke emanating from the landscape, it immediately grew into a huge forest fire, burning down dry bushes and trees.
Foresters and volunteers rushed to the spot to put out the fire but it could not be controlled. Despite wild animals moving to safer parts of the forest, the fire had completely devoured the green cover of the forest. A few days ago, another forest fire had spread to the Kotagiri-Mettupalayam main road and was controlled by the untiring efforts of the forest officials along with volunteers.