A devastating fire gutted about 30,000 trees of Telmachhara forest range in Habiganj yesterdayafternoon.

However, the wildlife and valuable trees at the nearby Satchhari Jatiya Udyan remained unharmed. The animals escaped deep into the forest due to tremcnaous heat, informed official sources.

Fire service sources suspect that the fire originated around 2:00pm yesterday from a burning cigarette. It soon spread to the Chhan plantation of the Telmachhara forest range destroying different plant species of the remote area.

On information, fire fighters from Habiganj district town and Chunarughat upazila headquarters rushed to the area. With locals assisting. the fire fighters brought the spreading fire under control around l:00pin

Range officer Halimuzzaman said, the fire was brought under control in the afternoon but the loss could not be ascertained immediately. Around 30,000 trees of different species were burnt to ashes in the fire, he said.