Forest fires in Odisha tiger reserve, fight on do douse flames

We have engaged staff and firefighting squads in all sensitive locations to attend the fire points, field director of STR, Prakash Chand Gogineni, said.The Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force ODRAF team is also assisting us, he said.

The Odisha government has engaged disaster rapid action force personnel to douse the ongoing forest fires that broke out inside the Simlipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Mayurbhanj district, officials said on Sunday.

Fires were noticed around 31 spots in the STR on Sunday, and the officials with adequate firefighting equipment have been engaged to douse the flames, an official said.

Forest officials have been spotting the fires for the last few days. Around 13 fires were spotted on Saturday, and the number increased to 31 on Sunday, the official said.

''The operation is underway on a war footing in the STR. We have engaged staff and firefighting squads in all sensitive locations to attend the fire points,'' field director of STR, Prakash Chand Gogineni, said.

The Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) team is also assisting us, he said.

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