Awareness campaign in Gajapati to prevent forest fires | Bhubaneswar News
Berhampur: Forest officials in Gajapati district have launched a massive awareness campaign among people living near forests, involving elected members of the panchayat, to prevent forest fires during summer.
As the day temperatures have surged in Gajapati, forest fires were reported in at least three locations this month.
Paralakhemundi, the district headquarters town, recorded 34.2 degrees Celsius, the highest in the state on Friday.
In 2024, Gajapati recorded 920 forest fire points. Forest officials immediately doused the fires before they spread to other areas. “This time also, we immediately extinguished the fires reported by satellite images,” said S Anand, divisional forest officer (DFO), Paralakhemundi.
He said they conducted around 190 awareness meetings in a month about preventing forest fires. Besides, they also created fire lines in different areas. Forest personnel cleaned the debris, including dry leaves, in a 3-ft area to prevent the spread of fire, he added. A fire generally spreads due to scattered dry leaves.
“We identified 12 out of 34 forest sections in the district as vulnerable to forest fires. Strict vigilance is in place in these areas,” said the DFO. He said they have formed firefighting squads involving around 70 people.
The fire squads have been equipped with fire blowers and other materials to immediately douse the blaze. Upon receiving information, the squad members rush to the spot to douse a fire within 36 hours, said the DFO. “We have taken all preventive measures to minimise forest fire points this year and to protect the green cover,” he added.
As the day temperatures have surged in Gajapati, forest fires were reported in at least three locations this month.
Paralakhemundi, the district headquarters town, recorded 34.2 degrees Celsius, the highest in the state on Friday.
In 2024, Gajapati recorded 920 forest fire points. Forest officials immediately doused the fires before they spread to other areas. “This time also, we immediately extinguished the fires reported by satellite images,” said S Anand, divisional forest officer (DFO), Paralakhemundi.
He said they conducted around 190 awareness meetings in a month about preventing forest fires. Besides, they also created fire lines in different areas. Forest personnel cleaned the debris, including dry leaves, in a 3-ft area to prevent the spread of fire, he added. A fire generally spreads due to scattered dry leaves.
“We identified 12 out of 34 forest sections in the district as vulnerable to forest fires. Strict vigilance is in place in these areas,” said the DFO. He said they have formed firefighting squads involving around 70 people.
The fire squads have been equipped with fire blowers and other materials to immediately douse the blaze. Upon receiving information, the squad members rush to the spot to douse a fire within 36 hours, said the DFO. “We have taken all preventive measures to minimise forest fire points this year and to protect the green cover,” he added.
