The fire which broke out at Chamundi Hills on Tuesday evening has been completely doused but the damage to the local habitat is extensive.
Though it was estimated that about 40 acres of forest may have been ravaged in the fire, it is now reckoned that more than 150 acres of scrub forests have been scorched in the fire.
The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained but it is suspected to have been caused by miscreants carelessly throwing burning cigarettes or beedis or leaping flames from the burning garbage at the foothills.
Deputy Conservator of Forests, Karikalan told The Hindu that about 40 forest department staff assisted by a few volunteers from the local community managed to bring the fire under control by 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday. But the smouldering embers were stoked again and the hill was ravaged by a second wave of fire that broke out at around 8.30 p.m. and raged till 4 a.m. on Wednesday.
“We could see the movement of snakes and hares though smaller reptilian creatures may have perished as it was a ground fire,” said Mr. Karikalan. In all, six fire tenders were pressed into service but their reach was limited to about 60 meters to 80 meters given the terrain and hence the staff used the traditional method of stomping out the fire physically beating it with branches.
