Ahmedabad: A major fire was reported in the Bania Lion sanctuary, located East of Gir Wildlife Sanctuary in Junagadh district and is estimated to have destroyed about thousands of hectares of dense vegetation, according to wildlife conservation sources.

The sources said that the fire that began yesterday noon (Apr 20, 2004) was on till the daytime today (Apr 21, 2004) and had destroyed close to 1000 hectares of vegetation.

The sources further said that the 15 odd lions and other beasts that inhabit the sanctuary had moved to safe grounds.

Chief Conservator of Forests Pradeep Khanna said from New Delhi that the "local forest officials were known to have tackled the flames and put out the fire".

Forest depart control room officials at Junagadh said that the "fire was brought under control today and that forest department officials had to resort to several fire fighting measures to kill the flames".

However no confirmation as to how much of forestland was destroyed was given.

Bania sanctuary, build within an area of 40 Sq Km, functions autonomously and was declared a sanctuary in 1989.