2 forest personnel rescued as wildfire spreads in Bhilwara

Bhilwara: A forest fire broke out in Bhilwara district's Shahpura tehsil Monday afternoon and quickly spread over 220 hectares due to strong winds. Two forest department employees, Sohan Lal and Vishram Meena, were trapped while attempting to extinguish it but were rescued in time, though the fire burnt down thousands of trees and plants.

Bhilwara DFO Gaurav Garg said members of the local forest protection committee played a crucial role in controlling the fire, along with the help of locals and fire brigades. He said the situation became critical when the Shahpura fire truck malfunctioned, necessitating assistance from Jahazpur and Agooncha. About an hour and a half later, a fire truck from Jahazpur arrived and began extinguishing the fire, which was fully contained by the evening. A three-member team led by regional forest officers of Shahpura and Jahazpur has been formed to assess the extent of the damage, Garg said.

The DFO mentioned that due to proximity to populated areas, Bhilwara district collector Jasmeet Singh Sandhu visited the site of the fire to evaluate the situation. Shahpura MLA Lalaram Bairwa

said the damage will be assessed and necessary steps will be taken to restore and secure the forest area. tnn