Tourists ‘spark’ forest fire in Morni Hills, detained

A major fire broke out in the Morni forests near Balag Ghat on Sunday. The blaze, triggered by the alleged negligence of a group of tourists, quickly spread through the dry pine needles, creating towering flames visible from afar.

Officials from the Sector 5 Fire Department said they received an alert around 6 pm and immediately dispatched a fire tender. Additionally, fire tenders from the Forest Department and a fire station in Alipur Barwala were also deployed to douse the flames.

The fire could not be brought under control till the time of filing of this news report, causing substantial damage to forest resources and posing a serious threat to wildlife in the area.

A group of four friends — two men and as many women — who arrived in a car with a Punjab registration number, reportedly ventured into the forest for a stroll. Shortly after, the fire was seen racing through the forest ground. Witnessing the fire intensify, the group fled the spot. However, two local residents, Anu Prajapati and Nirmal Kaur, alerted the authorities following which a checkpoint was set up before Panchkula, where the tourists were apprehended.

Meanwhile, additional forest workers have been deployed in a desperate attempt to bring the situation under control. The onset of summer often leads to fires in the pine forests of Morni. Last year alone, three to four fire incidents were reported over the months of May and June when the summer is at its peak.

Chandigarh