Khordha (Odisha) [India], April 25 : A fire that broke out in Chilika Lake in Odisha's Khordha district was finally doused after hours of sustained effort by wildlife and fire service teams on Saturday, officials said.
The blaze had spread through dry Phragmites patches, locally known as Nala grass, before being brought under control after coordinated firefighting operations involving teams from Khordha and Puri districts.
Wildlife officials suspect that miscreants may have set fire to dry grass in the ecologically sensitive lake area, though the exact cause is still under investigation.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Chilika Wildlife Division, Amlan Nayak, said such fire incidents are not uncommon in the region due to dry vegetation and human interference.
"In Chilika, the typical fire hazard occurs in Phragmites patches, locally called Nala grass. Human activity and dry grass make these areas prone to fire, which spreads quickly and is hard to control," Nayak said.
He said that wildlife teams maintain round-the-clock surveillance across the lake using boats, foot patrols and vehicles to respond quickly to fire incidents.
"These patches are vital habitats for fishing cats and nesting birds, so special care is taken to protect them," he said.
Nayak further said that fire control operations were intensified immediately after the blaze was reported, and teams worked for hours to prevent its spread.
"In a recent incident, fire teams from Khordha and Puri districts contained the blaze, with drone surveys confirming no major damage beyond burnt grass. No animals were harmed," he added.
Officials said drone monitoring was carried out after the fire was extinguished to assess the damage, which was found to be limited to burnt grass.