A fire broke out in the Kolomteji Forest Patrol Outpost area of the Sundarbans’ Eastern Forest division on Saturday.
Villagers of the adjacent areas first noticed a smoke rising from the Taparbil area of the forest. The forest department later confirmed the fire in the afternoon and began efforts to extinguish it.
Forest officials went to the scene upon receiving the news. However, due to the long distance from the nearest canal, there was lack of water sources; firefighters faced challenges to douse the flame. To prevent the flames from spreading across a larger area, forest guards started cutting fire lines around the affected zone.
Four units of the Fire Service headed toward the scene and doused the flame.
Abtad-e-Alam, Sharankhola Fire Service and Civil Defence station officer, said that fire stations from Sharankhola and Morrelganj had already reached the scene. ‘Besides, two additional units from Rampal and Kachua are on their way.’
Bipuleshwar Das, forester of the Chandpai Range of Dhansagar station under the Sundarbans Eastern Forest division, said that there were no immediate water sources nearby.
The fire was blazing deep inside the forest, about two to two and a half kilometres away from the nearest canal.
Kazi Muhammad Nurul Karim, divisional forest officer of the Sundarbans Eastern Forest division, confirmed the fire incident, saying, ‘We have been informed about the fire in the Sundarbans. I along with forest men headed to the site, and will provide the assessment about the extent and condition of the fire.’