ASI investigates hearth at Devgiri fort in Maharashtra; wildlife, heritage website affected

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has initiated an investigation into a serious hearth that erupted on the historic Devgiri Fort, also referred to as Daulatabad Fort, in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district on Tuesday (April 8, 2025) morning. The blaze scorched massive swathes of grassland and vegetation throughout the fort premises, elevating considerations in regards to the monument’s security and ecological steadiness.

The hearth, which reportedly began round 10 a.m., unfold quickly throughout the slopes of the fort. Firefighters encountered challenges owing to the steep terrain, forcing them to deploy water jets from a distance. Whereas the blaze was introduced beneath management by night, smoke and embers endured by the night time.

Officers confirmed that the ASI is presently assessing the extent of the harm. Based mostly on this evaluation, the company plans to formulate a catastrophe administration plan geared toward stopping related incidents sooner or later.

The hearth has additionally considerably disrupted the native wildlife. On Wednesday morning, monkeys and peacocks have been noticed scavenging for meals within the charred Kalakot space of the fort. Peacocks, which generally inhabit the shrublands close to the long-lasting Mendha cannon, are believed to have misplaced substantial parts of their pure habitat.

Devgiri Fort, located roughly 16 km from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar metropolis, holds immense historic significance, having served because the capital of the Yadava dynasty from the ninth to the 14th centuries. Experiences counsel the hearth additionally affected the Baradari, a pavilion positioned on the fort’s summit. Through the response, Fort employees assisted firefighters by transporting water from the Moti tank to assist cool the affected zones.

Authorities at the moment are prioritising the event of a complete catastrophe preparedness and response mechanism to safeguard the UNESCO-nominated heritage website from such threats transferring ahead.