Firefighters contain 95% of Sundarbans fire
Despite the progress, sporadic flames and smoke were still visible at the base of several trees, said Sakria Haider, Deputy Assistant Director of Bagerhat Fire Station.
Firefighters successfully brought 95% of the fire under control by Monday afternoon after it broke out in the Shapla Beel area of the Sundarbans yesterday (23 March).
Despite the progress, sporadic flames and smoke were still visible at the base of several trees, said Sakria Haider, Deputy Assistant Director of Bagerhat Fire Station.
The firefighters began dousing the flames with water from the Bhola River around 1 pm today (24 March). Previously, efforts had been hindered due to a water shortage, and responders were waiting for the evening tide to assist in the operation, Haider added.
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Authorities expect to fully extinguish the fire by Monday night. So far, five acres of forest land have been destroyed.
Alongside the firefighters and the Forest Department, local residents also joined the efforts to contain the blaze.
Md Abu Bakar Zaman, Assistant Director of Khulna Fire Service and Civil Defence, said 41 firefighters from eight units worked overnight, while 35 firefighters from six units joined the operation on Monday morning. "Extinguishing the fire has been a challenge as there is no water source nearby. We had to rely solely on tidal water from the Bhola River," he said.
Investigation and Future Prevention
Kazi Muhammad Nurul Karim, Divisional Forest Officer of the Sundarbans East Zone, confirmed that a three-member probe committee has been formed to investigate the fire. The exact cause and the extent of biodiversity loss will be determined once the report is received.
Md Amir Hossain Chowdhury, Chief Conservator of the Forest Department, stated that the government has initiated steps to create water sources within the Sundarbans.
Plans include excavating large ponds and dredging the Bhola, Khorma, and Aruarber rivers and canals to enhance water flow.
"Lowering the high banks of these rivers will help tidal water flow more easily into the forest. This will not only support firefighting efforts but also ensure water availability for wildlife," he said.
Besides, authorities are investigating whether there was any sabotage involved, as multiple fires erupted within a 7-kilometre span in just one day. Another probe body will be formed on Tuesday to assess the fire's cause, impact on biodiversity, and necessary action.
According to the Forest Department, the first fire was spotted at around 7am on Saturday in Tepar Beel, Sarankhola upazila. Dry leaves helped the fire spread quickly, damaging trees and vegetation.
Another fire was detected in the dense forest of Shapla Beel at around 11:30am on Sunday.
