Raging since Monday, the blaze has now spread to an area of over 10 square km. The reserve is home to 20 tigers. Nearly 200 people are involved in the firefighting operations
A forest fire continues to rage in the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan on 29 March. Image: ANI
A massive forest fire continues to rage in the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan’s Alwar district on Tuesday, officials said.
The blaze has engulfed an area of 10 square km which is equivalent to the size of over 1,800 football fields, NDTV reported.
Two Indian Air Force Mi 17 V5 helicopters have been carrying out Bambi Bucket operations since the morning in a bid to contain the blaze.
The IAF said that it joined the firefighting operations at the behest of the Alwar district administration.
According to NDTV, the helicopters have been carrying water from Rajasthan’s Siliserh Lake and dropping it on the affected areas in Sarsika which are 43 km away from the water body.
Around 150-200 people, including the forest staff, are engaged in controlling the fire, PTI reported. The cause of the blaze is not known yet.
Extent of the blaze
Officials said they were informed about the fire two days ago following which they took the help of locals in a bid to control the situation.
However, the fire department in Jaipur was alerted about the incident as the blaze continued to rage, they added.
“We are trying to restrict the fire so that it does not engulf the valley. Damage will be ascertained once the fire is doused,” ANI quoted Sudarshan Sharma, DFO, Alwar as saying.
Concerns over tiger population
According to NDTV, there are over 20 tigers in Sariska and the blaze is threatening the territory of a tigress, codenamed ST-17.
The tigress is in the area with her cub two cubs. Officials have warned that the trio might suffocate amid the blaze, the report added.
Authorities have asked villagers residing in the vicinity of the blaze-affected areas to move to safety, PTI reported. They added that the fire has also affected the movement of tigers.
According to a Times Now report, the tiger population in India stood at 2,967 in 2018. In 2021, 126 tigers died across the country, the highest in ten years.
India is currently home to 75 per cent of the world’s tiger population, NDTV reported.
The Sariska Tiger Reserve
Part of the Aravalli range, the reserve stretches over an area of 881 square km.
It became a part of the Project Tiger conservation programme in 1978. The reserve comprises dry deciduous forests that make it vulnerable to fires.
Apart from the Bengal tiger, the reserve is also home to leopards, hyenas, golden jackals and nilgais.
With inputs from agencies
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