Sayaji Shinde said the fire may have been caused by a cigarette butt
Renowned actor Sayaji Shinde and three of his friends on Sunday got down from their car near Katraj Tunnel after they saw a blaze along the hillside and doused it.
Mr Shinde, an environment activist who has been working on tree plantation and conservation, and his friends were on their way to Satara on Sunday evening.
"I was on my way to Satara. When our car reached near Katraj tunnel, we saw a fire in the nearby hills. Sensing that it could destroy trees, we got down from the car and tried to douse the fire using branches and stopped it from spreading despite winds," he said.
Mr Shinde said the fire may have been caused by a cigarette butt.