Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The entire state is alarmed about the spread of fire in the Similipal biosphere reserve in the Mayurbhanj district. But according to the Forest Survey of India (FSI), 394 other forest areas in Odisha are also burning due to the excessive rise in temperature.
The national media has not that extensively reported this serious issue occurring in Odisha. Now things have been more intensified when the Forest Survey of India (FSI) informed that the forest fire has been reported from 395 places including Similipal in the past three days professing an extensive menace to wildlife species, medicinal plants, and the environment at large.
The report further stated that apart from this incident in around 154 places the forest fire has been reported even though the fire flames were brought under control in several areas of Odisha.
For more than ten days now the massive fire in the forest of Similipal raging, spread in over 30 periphery areas of the Similipal National Park and the forest department officials are still working to extinguish the flames. Areas like Anantpur, Balinal, Khandachira, and Nachipur have been managed by the officials to extinguish the flame but in areas like Barehipani, Tulasibana, Chadeipahad, Gudugudiya, and Nana area in the northern part of Similipal tiger reserve the department is still trying their best to control the fire.
According to the report a special team has been formed to keep the fire at bay from the core and shield areas of the sanctuary. Shashi Paul, PCCF (Wildlife) stated that he has been monitoring the fire and the core areas of the national park are safe. He also informed that Out of the 209 beat areas in Similipal, an extensive fire was reported in only two to three places but it is now under control. As of now only the dead leaves and some bushes were affected and no big trees have been affected.
Image Source – Google
