Forest fire at Horsley Hills brought under control after multi-hour operation

A forest fire that erupted in the Horsley Hills reserve forest in Annamayya district was brought under control after a sustained, multi-hour firefighting operation by forest personnel with the support of local villagers.

Officials said the blaze was first detected on the night of February 26 and is believed to have spread from the Karnataka side into the reserve forest. Alerted teams rushed to the spot and battled the flames for nearly three hours before bringing them under control. The fire flared up again on the evening of February 28, advancing towards the foothills and sparking fresh concern.

Preliminary estimates indicate that nearly 50 hectares of forest area, predominantly wild grass, were affected. Forest Range Officer Madanapalle J. Prasada Rao clarified that the damage was confined to about 20 hectares near the Karnataka border, leaving the core reserve untouched.

No wildlife losses have been reported so far. Additional personnel have been deployed and the situation is being monitored round the clock, he said, crediting villagers for early detection and prompt intimation, which helped contain the spread.