Nilgiris forest fire brought under control after a prolonged battle

COIMBATORE: In a major relief, the fire that swept through forest areas in the Nilgiris has been brought under control by the forest department after a fortnight of intense firefighting under challenging conditions.

“However, multiple teams remain stationed for continuous monitoring and to respond swiftly to any fresh outbreaks. Improved humidity levels have been a key factor in bringing the fire under control,” said R. Kiruba Shankar, Field Director of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) and Conservator of Forests (Nilgiris).

The blaze, which broke out on April 15 in the Wenlock Downs forest area under the Parsons Valley Range of the Nilgiri Forest Division, spread rapidly due to harsh weather conditions and strong winds.

The situation prompted a large-scale firefighting operation involving more than 400 forest personnel. Two teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), five teams from the Fire and Rescue Services, and over 100 members of Eco Development Committees also assisted in the containment efforts.

“According to preliminary estimates, nearly 1,000 acres of forest land were affected by the fire. The damage was intense in the Parsons Valley area,” said Kiruba Shankar.

Officials noted that there was no impact on the native shola forests. Instead, the fire primarily consumed invasive plant species such as wattle, which remained dried due to the intense heat.

Meanwhile, the Forest Department has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire. “In some instances, villagers set fires to facilitate grazing. Given the significant movement of tigers in these areas, there is also a possibility that fires may have been triggered amid human-wildlife conflict. However, no conclusions have been reached, and all angles are being probed,” the official added.

Despite advance preparedness measures such as the creation of fire lines, officials said unprecedented dryness, strong winds, and low humidity made containment efforts difficult. A helicopter was deployed briefly but had to be withdrawn due to strong winds. Firefighters instead pumped water manually from the Pykara Dam and nearby rivers, sometimes over distances of up to one kilometre into the forest to douse fire.