a major fire in karnatakas bandipur tiger reserve destroyed over 400 acres of forest land and killed hundreds of wild animals on saturday foresters suspect the fire was an act of sabotage dry grass and lantana weed present across the forest made the fire spread rapidly even into the core forest areas within a few minutes the strong wind gave foresters firemen wildlife volunteers and villagers a tough time in bringing the blaze under control the fire was first noticed near mangala shivapura and hundipura on fridaywith foresters closing the checkpost gate at melkammanahalli the entrance to bandipur tiger reserve on the mysuruooty highway weekend travellers en route to ooty were stranded while some waited for foresters to open the gate others returned to mysuru