Kasauli is considered to be the favorite tourist destination of the people in Himachal, where tourists come in large numbers. From here people go trekking to Kheerganga and also visit the Gurudwara of Manikaran. The forest of Kasauli in the Solan district of Himachal has blazed up. The villagers here noticed the fire around 6:30 am on Sunday and informed the Air Force Authority about it.
You will be surprised to know that Kasauli does not have a fire station. So fire tenders were called from Solan and Parwanoo which took one and a half hours to reach. There are more than 400 hotels here, the fire was so severe that if the help of the Air Force had not been taken, it might have reached the residential area.
The help of Air Force helicopter was taken to extinguish the fire, it was not possible for the fire brigade vehicles to reach the hills. Due to the fire in dry pine needles, the forest was destroyed. The strong wind also made it difficult to control the fire. Three firefighters also got burnt in this operation, they were sent to PGI Chandigarh for treatment. A fire tender near Sunset Point also caught fire.
After several hours of effort, the fire was brought under control, but the next morning the incidents of fire came to the fore again. Army and firefighters worked with the courage to douse the fire.
Fire is common in the forests of Himachal during the summer season. This time due to the increase in temperature, the incidents of fire are coming to the fore. Himachal recorded an average of 12 fire incidents every day in the month of April. But it is very sad that hill stations like Kasauli do not have a fire station. Thousands of tourists come here to visit in summer. Due to the continuous fire incidents, their lives may be in danger.
The government should make arrangements to douse the fire. Along with this, it should also be seen, there are more than 400 hotels in Kasauli, and whether there is a proper arrangement to deal with the fire or not.
Most of the damage caused by forest fires occurs to the wild animals living there, as well as damage to the biodiversity. Such a large number of fires in the forests of Himachal is a matter of concern.
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