‘Deliberate’ fire guts 60 hectares in Nallamala

Hyderabad: A week after flames tore through parts of the Nallamala forests, the fire along the Amrabad-Srisailam road in Nagarkurnool district has still not fully died out, with wisps of smoke continuing to rise from deep valley stretches, a stark reminder of the blaze's stubborn hold despite sustained firefighting efforts. Ground teams have contained the spread, but pockets of smouldering vegetation continue to burn beneath the surface, officials said. The fire affected sections of the Brahmagiri range within the Amrabad Tiger Reserve landscape and is suspected to have been deliberately set, with miscreants from nearby villages believed to be behind it. Field officers have been directed to initiate legal action, including registration of an FIR. Preliminary assessments indicate that nearly 60 hectares of forest was gutted in the Brahmagiri range under the Amrabad division. Forest personnel, assisted by special task force teams, rushed to the area and worked continuously to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading further. The fire swept through the Tatigundala section, damaging forest stretches across Vajrala Madugu, Tavisipenta and up to the Akkamahadevi caves. About three kilometres of forest along the Srisailam-Hyderabad road was also affected, according to initial estimates. Officials said the incident was detected through GIS-based satellite alerts, following which ground staff were mobilised to the vulnerable stretches. Principal chief conservator of forests C Suvarna told TOI that seasonal fires occur despite preventive measures and described the incident largely as a ground fire. Irresponsible act: PCCF"Fire breaks out every season in spite of our efforts because of irresponsible tourists mostly and sometimes locals. But all efforts are on to contain. This is mostly ground fire. This is the large fire since last week; our staff was continuously there in the area and doused the surrounding areas. There is smouldering smoke from areas in the valley, which is being reflected even after dousing the fire," Suvarna said. Suvarna said an undetected forest offence report case had been registered and field officials were instructed to file an FIR against miscreants, as the blaze was suspected to be deliberate. Officials added that most forest fires during this period occur after winter and are largely attributed to human activity.