SANGHAR, March 21: Fire erupted in the Khori forest near Khipro on Monday, destroying 70 acres of land.

It has been estimated that trees worth more than Rs3.5 million burnt in the fire.

The forest department took no measures to put out the fire.

The people of the area said the fire broke out when some shepherd burnt wood to prepare tea.

Other sources said wood worth thousands of rupees was being stolen from the forest and the fire was a pretext for concealing the theft.—Correspondent