Kurnool: A fire broke out on Monday night in the Nallamala forest area along the Nandyala-Giddalur National Highway, bordering Mahanandi and Sirivella mandals.
Unidentified people set fire to the bamboo forest, located a kilometre away from the Sri Sarva Lakshmi Narasimhaswamy Temple. Passengers who noticed the fire immediately informed local forest officials, capturing videos and photographs of the incident.
Even as the summer season has not reached its peak, the Nallamala forests are experiencing fires this year. The forest stretches between Nandyal and Giddalur have been prone to regular fires during the summer months.
Nallamala, situated over a rocky terrain, typically witnesses ground fires from December to April every year. Some years, the area saw over 1,000 fire incidents, either through natural causes or human interventions.
The forest department routinely deploys fire watchers. These watchers are usually locals from nearby villages and members of joint forest management committees. They are hired specifically for the fire season.
Utilising geospatial technology, a fire alert system has also been developed. Satellite-detected fire points are communicated to the relevant forest officers through mobile alerts and emails for immediate action.
Srisailam forest range officer V Narasimhulu said the field staff and officials receive satellite imagery six times a day, which would help in swift response and control of fires. “Forest fires can occur due to various reasons, including lightning, stones rolling down due to animals, or negligence by humans,” he added.
Further, Nandyal district forest officer confirmed that they have not received any information about a forest fire in the region.
