Berhampur: A massive fire broke out near the Kalupada jetty inside the Chilika lake on Friday. The fire caught the Nala grass areas, which is home to many birds and fishing cats.
The blaze spread with the blowing of wind and the entire area was filled with smoke. Forest personnel from different ranges of Chilika wildlife division rushed to the spot to douse the flames. They could not reach the areas on fire as the area is full of mud.
“Our staff are trying to venture into the fire areas to douse the fire,” said Amlan Nayak, divisional forest officer (DFO), Chilika wildlife division.
Though the cause of fire was not known, wildlife officials suspected it to be man-made. Some miscreants might have set afire to the Nala grass that dries up in summer, said the DFO.
The boatmen in the area generally set fire the Nala grasses, after these dry to clean the area for smooth ride of their boats in the water bodies, said a forest officer.
The blaze spread with the blowing of wind and the entire area was filled with smoke. Forest personnel from different ranges of Chilika wildlife division rushed to the spot to douse the flames. They could not reach the areas on fire as the area is full of mud.
“Our staff are trying to venture into the fire areas to douse the fire,” said Amlan Nayak, divisional forest officer (DFO), Chilika wildlife division.
Though the cause of fire was not known, wildlife officials suspected it to be man-made. Some miscreants might have set afire to the Nala grass that dries up in summer, said the DFO.
The boatmen in the area generally set fire the Nala grasses, after these dry to clean the area for smooth ride of their boats in the water bodies, said a forest officer.