The fire in the Teisher Chhila and Shaplar Beel areas near Dhan Sagar Station in the Sundarbans East Forest Division has been partially brought under control, but it has not been fully extinguished, according to the Fire Service. Despite efforts from the Forest Department, Fire Service, and local volunteers working overnight on Sunday, the lack of water has made it difficult to completely put out the fire.
On Monday (March 24) morning, Kazi Muhammad Nurul Karim, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Sundarbans East Forest Division, confirmed the situation.
At the scene, it was observed that firefighters, forest officials, and volunteers were working together to control the fire. Some were spraying water, others were cutting branches to beat out the flames, and others were covering smouldering areas with dirt. However, embers are still flaring up in some places.
One of the major challenges is the distance from a reliable water source. The nearest water source, the Mora Bhola River, is about three kilometres away from the fire site. Moreover, the river’s decreasing navigability means there is no water at low tide, so the Fire Service can only work with water during high tide, making the firefighting efforts much more difficult.
Earlier on Sunday morning, a drone survey conducted by the Forest Department detected the fire in the Teisher Chhila area, part of the Dhan Sagar Patrol Outpost in the Sundarbans East Forest Division.
Challenges with Water Supply
Md. Abu Bakkar Zaman, Assistant Director of the Khulna Divisional Office of Fire Service and Civil Defense, mentioned that the fire intensity has reduced compared to earlier. "We are continuing our efforts, but water is not always available. Working in this remote forest at night is very challenging, and the river dries up during low tide, making it difficult to spray water. But now, since it's high tide in the morning, we can spray water," he explained.
He added, "We managed to spray water while the tide was high during the night, which helped reduce the fire's intensity. However, the forest floor is covered with dry leaves and dead branches. Once the tide recedes and we can’t access water, the fire reignites in some areas. So, it’s difficult to say when the fire will be completely controlled."
Efforts by the Authorities
DFO Kazi Muhammad Nurul Karim confirmed that water spraying began last night in the affected areas. "The Forest Department worked overnight to control the fire. The Fire Service was also involved last night," he stated.
He also mentioned, "It’s now harder to access water than before. When the tide goes out, the river dries up, making water supply very challenging. Nonetheless, we are putting in our best efforts to bring the fire under control."
