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NEW DELHI: Forest fires have erupted at multiple locations in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri Forest Division amid prolonged hot and dry weather, triggering a large-scale response from forest and emergency agencies.Personnel from the Forest Department, Forest Protection Force, Social Forestry Department and other agencies have been deployed across the affected areas. Officials said efforts are continuing to bring the blaze under control and stop it from spreading further into dense forest zones.Authorities have appealed to residents to avoid activities that could spark fires and to immediately alert officials about any fire-related incidents.The fires, which locals said have been burning for several days, have caused significant damage to vegetation and wildlife in the region.Residents described the situation as severe, claiming that large numbers of trees had been destroyed and wildlife had been forced out of forested areas.”The forest is suffering immensely, and no trees are being spared. Many cattle belonging to villagers have been affected, and wild animals are entering residential areas,” a local resident said. According to locals, villagers initially tried to contain the flames on their own before informing the authorities.”The fire has been burning for about four to five days. It was very intense last night. We also tried to douse it before informing the Forest Department this morning,” the resident said.He said the fire appeared to have spread from multiple directions, leaving large stretches of forest badly damaged.”Part of the fire came from Sony village behind us, and another part from this direction, leaving the central area completely charred,” said the local.The latest incidents come days after several forest fires were reported across the Rajouri Forest Division on May 28 during an ongoing heatwave. Firefighting teams, supported by local volunteers, have since been working to contain the flames and prevent them from advancing deeper into forest areas.Divisional Forest Officer Rajouri, Naveed Iqbal, said the fires had affected multiple locations across the division and that teams had been deployed wherever reports were received.”We have personally visited two locations; this is our third. Furthermore, reports have come in from one or two other locations where we have already deployed our teams. We hope to successfully control the fire and minimise the damage,” Iqbal told ANI.
