A large forest fire is threatening a major nature reserve in eastern India, prompting a major effort by authorities to fight the blaze.

Footage from March 3 shows the ongoing fires in the Similipal National Park in Mayurbhanj district, Odisha.

The government of Odisha ordered over 1000 officers and workers together with 40 vehicles as part of an effort to suppress the fires.

The reserve is home to over 50 endangered species including the Indian elephant and Royal Bengal Tiger.

A forest fire has engulfed some area around the Simlipal sanctuary. Similipal forest is spread in an area of 2,750 square kilometres. Eco-tourism has been organized in an area of 2,200 sq km. The Similipal sanctuary is home to 55 species of animals, 304 species of birds, 62 species of reptiles, 37 species of fish and 108 species of trees.

Union PNG and Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed great dismay about the forest fires raging in the tiger reserve and urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik along with Union Forest and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar to take immediate ameliorative measures on the alarming situation.

Many forests under Karanjia forest division are also under the blaze. Moreover, the blaze has also engulfed forests in Thakurmunda, Kendumundi, Naona, Gudagudia, Bareipani, Dudhiani, Satkosia, Betnoti,Rasgobindpur, Moroda and other parts of foot of Simlipal in Mayurbhanj district, Odisha. As a result, villages in the area around the forest are now at risk.The fire has endangered wildlife in the forest.The fact is that some elephants from the Simlipal Sanctuary have also been seen living in the forest.

Many claimed that hunters too are responsible for the fire who set fire at places of the jungle for poaching. Due to the fire, animals, reptiles and precious trees including medicinal plants are destroyed.

Royal family princess of Mayurbhanj, Akshita Bhanj Deo expressed said the situation has appalled her more because no action has been taken by the forest department to stop the forest fire yet. Asia’s second largest biosphere reserve has been continuously burning for the past several days.

After local media howled today I came to visit the situation of fire inside Simlipal. I have been discussed with my field level officers what they had done and what we will do next said Shashi Paul, Principal chief Conservator of forest (PCCF, Odisha.)

Despite crores of money spent by the forest department on fire protection. So the reason is that huge lack of accountability. No officer has a labour accountable to the money which is been controlled to fire said Biswajit Mohanty, secretary wildlife society of Odisha (WSO)