Bhubaneshwar/IBNS: Similipal forests, located in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, are currently being ravaged by a massive wildfire that has been spreading across the woods since the last 10 days, destroying countless ground fauna, millions of seedlings and seeds, along with medicinal plants, creepers, shrubs and trees that take decades to grow, according to media reports.
Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar in a tweet on Friday said the fire was under control but satellite images of NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System have showed that the leaping flames continue to destroy acres of forest cover.
The fire at Similipal forests is now under control & no loss of life has been reported due to the incident.
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) March 5, 2021
The Similipal forests are invaluable,not just for India but for the entire world. I appreciate the efforts of forest officials to contain the fire.https://t.co/LWD2XxQjaM
News reports said the fire started after local people burned dry leaves which went out of control and engulfed the huge forest that is spread over an area of 5569 sq km.
Simlipal is India's largest biosphere reserve, with longest belt of Sal trees in the country, that is home to more than 300 species of varieties of reptiles, bird, fish and many other animals, including the Bengal tiger. As many as 93 species of orchids, 300 species of medicinal plants and 52 species of endangered flora also thrive in the conserved forest.
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