Tippi/Bhalukpong, Feb 9: The Forest Department has successfully contained two major forest fires in the Doimara Reserved Forest, averting significant ecological damage through swift and coordinated action.
Official sources said on Monday that a massive forest fire that broke out on February 4 in the Doimara Reserved Forest was brought under control due to the timely intervention of the Forest Department under the leadership of DFO, Khellong Forest Division, Suman Beniwal, IFS. The firefighting operation was further strengthened by prompt support from the Fire Brigade and Police personnel of Bhalukpong, preventing the blaze from spreading further and causing extensive damage.
In a separate incident on February 8, another forest fire erupted in the Dedzeeling Elephant Corridor within the same reserved forest. The fire was first reported by Head Gaon Burah (HGB) of Tippi, Nyiksu Ramdasow, following which forest personnel immediately responded and managed to douse the flames at an early stage. The swift action averted a potential disaster that could have severely threatened the elephant corridor and the region’s biodiversity.
Both incidents are currently under investigation, and the exact cause of the fires has yet to be determined, officials said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Forest has appealed to residents of the area to exercise caution and refrain from activities that could trigger forest fires, particularly during the ongoing dry season. As part of its preventive efforts, the Khellong Forest Division had earlier conducted a forest fire prevention and management workshop on January 27, attended by frontline forest staff, PRI members, and members of the public from the Tippi-Bhalukpong area.
Additionally, the DFO, Khellong Forest Division, has issued an advisory urging residents to remain vigilant, avoid unnecessary night movement, and extend full cooperation to forest personnel engaged in night patrolling. Owing to frequent movement of wild elephants in the area, two Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) have been deployed daily from 8 pm to 4 am to ensure public safety and mitigate human-wildlife conflict.