Summary:
By Express News ServiceKOCHI: Forest guards are on their toes as the prolonged dry spell and increasing temperature have triggered wildfires in forest areas of the district. Sources said grasslands in forest areas of Kothamangalam and Malayattoor have dried up, which has increased the threat of wildfire. Last week, forest fires were reported at the grasslands of Mullaringad, Chullikandam, Kaliyar and Pattayakudi under the Kothamangalam forest division and at Pinavoorkudy under the Kuttampuzha range of Malayattoor division. We are using satellite data provided by Forest Survey of India (FSI) to locate the spot and put out the fire,” said Kothamangalam divisional forest officer (DFO) S Unnikrishnan. Elephant herds will frequent the area during summer after waterbodies inside the forest dry up,” said Neriamangalam range officer Arun K Nair..