The forest flora and fauna on the Dharampur – Garkhal and Dharampur – Sanawar road has suffered massive loss as several small and big forest fires have erupted since Sunday evening.
“Fire is usually triggered by callous villagers who at times set ablaze heaps of dry pine needles strewn on the forest floor in a bid to clear them or a lit cigarette left by a careless passerby,” explains an official.
Fire staff has been on their toes as a large chunk of the forest near a residential school burnt for hours before the fire and forest staff managed to douse it in the early hours on Monday. The blazing hill presented a horrific site as plumes of smoke and red flames threatened the nearby residents.
Heaps of pine needles also burnt uncontrollably at Sanawar on Monday evening, as the fire staff tried to rush from one site to another.
Santosh Sharma, Commandant, Home Guards, Solan, informed that the fire staff has been on their toes since Sunday, as big and small forest fires have been reported in the Dharampur and Sanawar area.
A fire which occurred at Mandhodhar village on the Dharampur-Kasauli road on Monday morning was doused with the help of three fire men and a fire tender after intense fire-fighting for two and a half hours, Sharma informed.
Plumes of smoke were seen rising from various hills on the two roads as the forest and fire staff worked overtime to douse the blaze.
SDM Kasauli Mahinder Chauhan informed that reports of forest fires have been pouring in since Sunday from Dharampur-Sanawar area and fire tenders are being rushed to contain them.
He said a massive blaze which occurred near a residential school on the Dharampur-Garkhal road was contained in the early hours on Monday, while the remnants continued to singe.
