Porcupine hunting triggers minor fire at Raj Bhavan forest

GANGTOK, Feb12: A minor bush fire broke out at the border forest
surroundings of Raj Bhavan today afternoon.
The fire which broke out around 3:30 pm was immediately dowsed by East
district forest personnel, Gangtok fire services, local police and
ITBP personnel of Raj Bhavan in a short span of time.
Considering the continuing dry spell in the State that has left ground
forest cover smoldering with heat, the fire could have spread further
up the hill. However, quick response from the local authorities
averted a bigger fire.
Some portion of the ground cover of the forest was razed in the fire.
During the fire fighting process, the DFO (Territorial-East), RO
(Territorial-East) stumbled on some still burning sacks that had been
stuffed inside the underground holes burrowed by porcupines. This was
the chief reason for the outbreak of the bush fire.
Some local persons may have put the burning sacks in the entry points
of these holes so that the ensuing smoke flush out the porcupines out
of their holes and hunt them.
One person has been detained by the forest officials for questioning.