Karkala, March 21: A fire that broke out at three locations in the Kerekatte wildlife range of Kudremukh National Park has been brought under control by forest department personnel after continuous operations. Officials confirmed that no wildlife was killed or injured in the incident.

The fire affected around 18 acres of grassland in the park, which is known for its valuable shola-grassland ecosystem and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage region.

According to the forest department, precautionary measures taken at the beginning of summer helped prevent the fire from spreading into dense forest areas. “Fire lines created in advance ensured that the blaze remained limited to grassland areas. Most of the fire was extinguished on the night of March 19 through immediate action,” said Divisional Forest Officer Shivaram Babu.

The department has launched an investigation to determine whether the fire was caused deliberately. “A detailed inquiry is underway. If it is found that the fire was set intentionally, strict legal action will be taken against those responsible,” the DFO said.

A team of senior officials visited the site to assess the situation. These included Conservator of Forests Karikalan, DFO Shivaram Babu, Assistant Conservator of Forests Satish, and other officials.

The forest department has been conducting awareness programmes to prevent forest fires and has deployed fire watchers to closely monitor vulnerable areas, officials added.