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Journalism of Courage
It was an all-too-familiar sight8212;a telltale crimson glow in the night sky that signalled another forest fire in the hills of Munnar.
An annual feature of summer, these fires are invariably the result of a carelessly discarded cigarette butt or beedi or an improperly extinguished camp-fire. And, despite the irreparable damage they cause, the culprits always get away scot-free.
All night the fire raged largely unhindered, due to the feeble attempts to put it out. In the morning, it was still smouldering with
a massive pall of smoke cloaking the area. As the sunlight filtered through, the extent of devastation became painfully clear.
Hundreds of eucalyptus trees had been grotesquely scorched and scarred. The undergrowth had been burnt leafless. And the forest floor was carpeted with ash.
An air of desolation hung over the area which was now eerily silent. Unlike other mornings, it no longer resonated to the spirited crowing of jungle roosters peremptorily summoning their harems or the myriad other bird-calls that herald dawn. For the birds had fled overnight along with the few hares, porcupines and wild pigs that sheltered there.
More disquieting, I noticed that even the usually noisy crickets were silent at night8212;perhaps they too had been wiped out. The fire appeared to have destroyed the very ecology of the area.
Summer was at its merciless peak with no prospects of rain whatsoever. The fire-ravaged eucalyptus plantation seemed destined to wither away in these torrid conditions. And then8212;most unexpectedly and opportunely8212;theskies opened up.
Truly a godsend, it rained heavily for as many as three days. The thorough drenching resuscitated the wilting eucalyptus trees, perking up their foliage and soothing the extensive damage inflicted by the fire.
Unbelievably, a fortnight later I was delighted to find fresh shoots of grass and shrubs delicately poking their way out through the soggy ash8212; unmistakable signs of regeneration as well as hope!
Today, a month later, the eucalyptus plantation still bears the hideous scars of the fire. But, thanks to nature8217;s resilience and those timely showers, it is positively recovering from its trauma8212;and will survive.
