Tamil Nadu: Wildfire Continues To Rage In Forest Area Of Perumal Hills Near Kodaikanal

The grass in the interior pockets of the forest reserve forest and the fallen leaves dry up due to excessive heat, and a small spark from a match stick is enough to set a fire inside the forest.

Tamil Nadu: Wildfire Continues To Rage In Forest Area Of Perumal Hills Near Kodaikanal (Image: ANI)

New Delhi: The wildfire in Tamil Nadu continued to rage in the forest area of Perumal hills near Kodaikanal in the Dindigul district on Sunday.

According to the Dindigul forest department officials, the personnel are engaged in dousing the fire and no harm to the wildlife has been reported so far.

Tamil Nadu | Fire continues to rage in the forest area of Perumal hills near Kodaikanal in the Dindigul district

Forest officials are engaged in extinguishing the fire. No harm done to the wildlife here, say Dindigul district forest department officials. pic.twitter.com/yDBIF9iJs7

— ANI (@ANI) March 13, 2022

Earlier on Thursday, there were reports of parts of the forest area in Kodaikanal hills in Dindigul district having caught fire.

The soaring temperature over the last two days led to a wildfire in many parts of Thogaivarai reserve forest along the western ghats, according to the forest officials.

Though the extent of the damage caused by the forest fire was not known immediately, the villagers suspected that a few hundred acres might have been destroyed by it.

The officials, however, said that the exact extent of gutted area would be known only after the fire was put out.

As per a fire officer in Dindigul district, during the summer months, the grass in the interior pockets of the forest reserve forest and the fallen leaves dry up due to excessive heat, and a small spark from a match stick is enough to set a fire inside the forest.

The region usually experiences summer rain during this time that acts as a source of ready ignition. Also, the rain ensures the growth of herbs and grass that leads to the fast spread of the wildfire.

Notably, a similar forest fire incident was reported in Karadikal area in Dindigul district two years back, while about three days back, a minor fire broke out in the neighbouring Andipatti block in Theni district.