Seven teams deployed to put out forest fire in Erode’s Kadambur Hills
Forest Department personnel are battling a wildfire in the Kadambur Hills of the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve. Severe dry conditions and lack of rainfall have made the terrain difficult to manage, threatening local vegetation.
Why it matters
Wildfires in protected tiger reserves pose significant risks to biodiversity and highlight the impact of prolonged dry spells on environmental conservation.
Seven teams comprising 80 Forest Department personnel have been deployed to put out a forest fire that broke out at the top of Kambathrayan Hill in the Kadambur Hills of the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) on Tuesday (September 1, 2026) night.
S. Gowtham, Deputy Director, STR and District Forest Officer, Sathyamangalam Division, told The Hindu that the teams were on the field and taking efforts to bring the fire under control. The extent of the damage could be assessed only after the fire was put out, he said.
The forest areas in the STR have been experiencing severe dry conditions owing to the lack of rainfall over the past few months. The prolonged dry spell has resulted in the drying up of grass, shrubs, climbers, and other vegetation in several parts of the reserve, increasing the risk of forest fires.
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