Daijiworld Media Network – Beltangady

Beltangady, Jan 20: Panic prevailed after a forest fire broke out late Sunday night in the bamboo thicket area of Bidirutala in the Balur Reserve Forest, which falls under the Mudigere range of the Charmadi Ghat region. The fire has now been completely brought under control.

The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. However, according to the Mudigere forest department, the incident may have been triggered by the negligence of tourists. The flames spread rapidly, burning grass and vegetation across a large area.

As the fire intensified, concerns were raised about the safety of wildlife in the region. Forest department personnel, along with the fire and emergency services, carried out firefighting operations until late Sunday night and successfully doused the flames, said Mudigere range forest officer Manjunath.

The operation was carried out under the supervision of deputy range forest officers Ranjith and Basavaraju, with active participation from forest guard Umesh, staff members Dinesh and Arun, and fire service personnel.