Bhubaneswar, Feb 27: As temperatures soar across Odisha, forest fires have surged, with 222 incidents reported in a single day. Over the past 24 hours, most divisions in southern and northern Odisha have witnessed forest fire outbreaks.

Data from the Forest Survey of India indicates that the Nabarangpur Forest Division recorded the highest number of fire incidents. Other heavily affected areas include Malkangiri, Baliguda, Khariar, Baripada, Angul, Keonjhar, and Bargarh.

Additional divisions reporting fires include Satkosia Wildlife Division, Bargarh, Koraput, Jeypore, Rayagada, Nayagarh, Kalahandi, Sunabeda Wildlife Division, Balangir, Sundargarh, Dhenkanal, Boudh, Rairakhol, Deogarh, Karanjia, Bamra Wildlife Division, Jharsuguda, Bonai, Kalahandi South and North Divisions, Rairangpur, Subarnapur, Sambalpur, and Balasore.

Forest department teams are actively working to contain the fires across these areas. With dry conditions persisting and no significant rainfall expected in the near future, authorities have expressed concern over the likelihood of more forest fire incidents in the coming days.