Morni Hills, the only hill station in Haryana, experienced a massive forest fire on Thursday as the temperature breached 46°C mark in the past couple of days. The intense heat and dry conditions fuelled the flames, which quickly spread across alarge area of the hills, engulfing shrubs, bushes and trees in their path. The fire raged on, with flames rising as high as four to five feet, creating a terrifying spectacle.
As the inferno swept through the forest, animals ran helter-skelter, desperate to save their lives.They sought refuge in safer parts of the forest, away from the advancing flames. The sight of the panicked creatures added to the chaos and urgency of the situation.
Panchkula deputy commissioner Yash Garg said the fire had been reported in Morni forest area four days prior, and the fire department had been directed to take necessary measures to control the blaze. However, on Thursday, the intensity of the forest fire escalated significantly, pro mpting the authorities to redouble their efforts to douse the flames.
The DC said, “Our fire department officials as well as officials from the administration and forest and wildlife are present at the spot. The fire started from Tirlokpur area and is rising towards Bhuri village where our fire department fire tenders are deployed and the firefighters are dousing the fire. At present the fire has not engulfed the trees, but is confined to smaller vegetation like shrubs and bushes. No evidences of any fatality or injury to wild animals was reported from the spot.”
Garg said in response to the crisis, the administration dispatched a team to assess the situation and determine if there was any damage to nearby dwellings or if people residing in the vicinity needed to be evacuated. “Fortunately, no houses or other structures were found in the immediate vicinity of the fire spot, providing some relief amidst the chaos,” he said. Similar reports of massive forest fires were received from other hill stations in the region, including Kasauli, Barog, and Solan. In these areas, the raging flames engulfed vast swathes of forest, forcing some residents to evacuate their homes as a precautionary measure. The houses in the affected areas also suffered damage due to the intense heat and flames.
