Fire in 12,000 hectares of Rajaji tiger reserve

DEHRADUN: A few days after a blaze razed 50 hectares of Corbett Tiger Reserve, around 120 sq km (approx. 12,000 hectares) of Rajaji tiger reserve has been affected by a forest fire over the past three days. The fire, which started in Beriwara, Kansrao, and Motichur ranges of the reserve and also reached the Haridwar range, is now largely under control, but is still raging in a part of the Motichur range.

Around 120 sq km of Rajaji has been affected in forest fire in three days," said a top forest department official on the condition of anonymity. Rajaji is home to 13 tigers, elephants, leopards, cheetal, and sambhar among other species. On Monday, the forest fire reached dangerously close to the Mansa Devi temple, a part of the reserve in Haridwar, but was doused in time.According to Neena Grewal, director of Rajaji, the fire near the temple was doused in time. She said that one of the forest employees sustained burn injuries in the process.