Forest fires rage near LoC in Gurez for 4th straight day

Srinagar, Nov 30: A massive forest fire raging in the Bagtore area near the Line of Control in Gurez valley of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district entered its fourth consecutive day on Sunday, destroying a large stretch of forest land and damaging a significant number of trees, officials said.

According to officials, joint teams of the Forest Department, Wildlife Department, Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and local volunteers have been working around the clock to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to nearby areas.

Officials said the fire originated in Forest Compartment 32, a remote and hilly location close to the LoC. Dry grass and dense undergrowth fuelled the flames, causing the fire to spread rapidly and hampering early containment efforts.

Forest Officer Javid Iqbal told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that the fire has been largely contained following days of sustained operations. Still, efforts are continuing to douse remaining hotspots. He said the steep hilltop terrain has made firefighting extremely difficult.

“There is no road connectivity to the site and fire tenders cannot reach the area. Our teams are relying entirely on manual methods to control the fire,” Iqbal said.

He said that despite difficult conditions, personnel from all departments are continuing operations on the ground with full commitment to bring the fire completely under control.

“The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. A detailed assessment will be carried out once the fire is completely controlled,” he added. [KNT]