The wet weather conditions due to depression and cyclone in the Bay of Bengal has resulted in light to moderate rains across Bandipur National Park, BRT Tiger Reserve, and M.M. Hills Wildlife Sanctuary.
This has increased the moisture content in the forests and is expected to delay the onset of fire season.
S.R. Natesh, Director, Bandipur Tiger Reserve, told The Hindu that rainfall was not intense but there was continuous drizzle since the last few days which had helped increase the moisture content in the forest and would enable the growth of fresh vegetation.
The rains were also widespread across the forest regions, covering all the ranges of the tiger reserve, and had helped replenish water holes significantly so as to help wild animals beat water stress during peak summer.
But the intensity of heat would increase by January third week and last through summer and it was critical for Bandipur to receive a few unseasonal rains in January or February if the threat of forest fire was to be fully neutralised this season, Mr. Natesh added.
Bandipur has a history of devastating fire engulfing vast swathes of forest cover, the last being in 2019 when more than 15,000 acres of vegetation was destroyed. The authorities have already taken up controlled burning of vegetation along the fire lines which will act as a fire-break and reduce fuel build-up. Bandipur has fire lines extending to nearly 2,828 km, of which 80 per cent of the vegetation has been cleared. The authorities hope to complete the entire work, including controlled burning of vegetation, by the end of December.
The scenario is similar in M.M. Hills Wildlife Sanctuary and BRT Tiger Reserve as well, all of which are contiguous forests. Deputy Conservator of Forests of M.M. Hills V. Yedukondalu said intermittent rains and drizzle in the hilly terrain had brought much-needed relief and will help reduce the threat of forest fire.
He said though animals in M.M. Hills Wildlife Sanctuary had perennial water source in the Cauvery and other rivulets which cut across the forest land, the vegetation tended to get dry as early as in December. “There was a major forest fire in the peak of winter (on December 27) in 2018 and the cyclonic affect this year has helped ward off such early onset of fires,” said Mr. Yedukondalu.
The wildlife sanctuary has a fire line extending to nearly 400 km and vegetation has been cleared along nearly 300 km length so far.
But the authorities are perturbed over financial crunch plaguing the government as a result of which there is a fund crunch and hence only 50 per cent of the money budgeted for fire mitigatory measures has been released.
“We have funds for only clearing 2,400 km of fire line but we have placed a request and in anticipation of release of full amount we are taking up the remaining portion of the fire line work as well,” Mr. Natesh added.
