Fire near TN tiger reserve

Udhagamandalam: A forest fire broke out near the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in Nilgiris District in Tamil Nadu on Saturday evening. Efforts are afoot to put it off with more than 90 forest personnel involved in the fire-fighting operation.

There was no immediate information on loss of wildlife in the fire that was noticed this evening, 2 km away from the MTR and bordering Bandipur in neighbouring Karnataka, Forest Department sources said. Aided by high-velocity winds and dry grass, the fire quickly spread across the forest land. 

Sources discounted the possibility of heavy casualties, pointing out that a majority of wildlife had migrated to the Muthanga forest area in Kerala in search of water.  — PTI