Sundarbans fires still burning

Forest fires are still burning in Sarankhola Range of the Sundarbans.

Firefighters suspended their operation for the night around 5:00pm yesterday before darkness fell.

Unless overnight rains put out the fires, the officials will resume the operation from this morning, firefighters said. 

Forest department officials are staying in the Daser Bharani area, where the fires are, to watch over the situation, said Joynal Abedin, assistant conservator of forests at the Sundarbans East Forest Department.

"The fire that started around Monday noon was put out by Tuesday afternoon. But columns of smoke were billowing the next morning from several places a little south of the original site of the fire. Soon, the fires broke out in different places. The fires are still raging in many places," he added.

Golam Sarwar, assistant director at Fire Service and Civil Defence, Bagerhat, said three fire engines started working at the site yesterday morning.

"Twenty-five hose pipes were set up to bring water from the Bhola river. Ten additional pipes were set up later. The forest department and the firefighters have taken measures to keep the fire from spreading any further…. Our equipment is still in the forest," he added.

Yesterday's fire was much worse than Monday's. A thick layer of fallen leaves is making it harder to completely douse the fire with water.

Twenty-six fires have been reported in the Sundarbans in the last two decades.