Massiv fire in Mumbai forest

Mumbai, Dec 3 (IANS) A massive fire erupted in the thick forests of Aarey Colony in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) precincts, near Goregaon suburb of north-west Mumbai, here on Monday evening, officials said. The blaze was noticed on one of the forested hills in Habalpada, near the famed Film City, and it quickly spread to an estimated four km area. Visible from long distances including the Western Express Highway, there were no reports of human casualties in the conflagration so far, the cause of which is not known. Teams of the Forest Department, Mumbai Fire Brigade and other agencies were battling the blaze amidst fears that it could take a severe toll on rich the flora and fauna in the region. The SGNP region has a variety of big and small wildlife including leopards, peacocks, deers, hogs, besides a variety of insects, birds and plant life.
--IANS qn/mr