Forests turning into ashes as massive blaze go wild

Jammu: The forest areas across the Valley are rapidly turning into the ashes due to the massive blaze that is continuing since past two days in the forest areas.
Officials said that the massive fire that broke out in Handwara’s forest area and Tral Shikargah forest is rapidly spreading to the other forests across the Valley.
However, the authorities have so far failed to bring the situation under control, resulting in engulfing of fire to other forest areas.
On Friday late evening, a fire broke out in Nowroz Baba forests of Tangmarg division.
Reports said that a fire broke out in compartment number 25 of Pathribal forests in the lower reaches of Pir Panjal mountain range in Nowroz Baba.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Tangmarg, Doctor Mehraj when contacted said that the officials along with the locals are on job to douse the fire. The locals said that the forest department has miserably failed to douse the flames in time, resulting in spreading to a vast area.
On Saturday, fire engulfed a huge forest area in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Saturday, damaging the vegetation.
Reports said the fire broke out in compartment number18 and 19 of the forest division on Friday and engulfed massive a large area.
The fire has already spread to the various forest areas including Bandipora, Kangan (Wangath), Anantnag, Tral and Kupwara (Zagipora).
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Bandipora, Abdul Majeed Malla when contacted said the officials are on job to douse to the fire while as some volunteers are also helping in bringing the situation under control.
The police spokesman in a statement issued here on Saturday said that Police along with SDRF, forest officials and volunteers are trying their best to control fire spread in the forests of Bandipora.
“Around 150 men of Bandipora Police and SDRF including officers and jawans have been pressed into service by District Police to help forest officials and other volunteers to take control of the fire that had engulfed Bandipora forests in the compartments No’s 109 and 110 since Thursday evening,” a police spokesman said.
Conservator of forests North Circle Irfan Rasool Wani when contacted said the fire was triggered by the dry spell that Kashmir witnessed this winter.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has said that all the departments are on high alert to make sure that the situation is brought under control.
She also said that the forest department and the volunteers are working tirelessly to douse the flames in forest areas and have succeeded in partially dousing it.
“Forest department & volunteers are working tirelessly to douse the forest fire in Bandipora, Kangan, Anantnag & other affected areas. They have succeeded in partially extinguishing it. All departments are on high alert to make sure that the situation is brought under control,” she tweeted.