Improved prevention measures help stem wildfires in Similipal | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: The south division of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR), where tigress Zeenat was recently lodged in a larger enclosure, has reported only three active fire points this year till Monday, officials said, indicating a robust protection and fire prevention mechanism. Similipal South is a deep core habitat that is home to 90% of the big cats.
Last year, during the similar period, only three fire points were detected, thanks to AI-based fire detection cameras. However, in 2022 and 2023, there were considerably more fire points.
As many as 520 fire points were detected on Monday, but none in Similipal South. “Fire incidence across the state’s forest is on the decline due to technology-driven detection and prevention. Moreover, Similipal, which is spread over 2,750 sq km, has been reporting a falling number of fire incidences over the years (since 2021),” said a senior forest officer in charge of monitoring forest fires.
Smart camera technology used to monitor forest fires in South America and Africa has been installed atop five towers constructed at vantage points in core and buffer areas of Similipal. Camera surveillance was introduced to provide real-time data on fires, as it takes about four hours for the forest department to react and attend to fire points through feeds obtained from satellites, officials said.
In addition, forest personnel now use modern equipment including mechanised blowers, special boots, hand gloves, eye shields, helmets and fluorescent jackets. Forest officials said most of the forest fires are man-made and rampant in summer from Feb to April. Villagers burn dry leaves that fall on the ground to collect mahua flowers. In the process, massive forest fires break out. Mahua flowers never catch fire.
In Feb and March 2021, Similipal witnessed the highest of 47,101 active fire points. While a central team visited the core areas and fire-ravaged patches of Similipal in March 2021, state govt deployed 50 personnel of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) to douse the wildfires.
Last year, during the similar period, only three fire points were detected, thanks to AI-based fire detection cameras. However, in 2022 and 2023, there were considerably more fire points.
As many as 520 fire points were detected on Monday, but none in Similipal South. “Fire incidence across the state’s forest is on the decline due to technology-driven detection and prevention. Moreover, Similipal, which is spread over 2,750 sq km, has been reporting a falling number of fire incidences over the years (since 2021),” said a senior forest officer in charge of monitoring forest fires.
Smart camera technology used to monitor forest fires in South America and Africa has been installed atop five towers constructed at vantage points in core and buffer areas of Similipal. Camera surveillance was introduced to provide real-time data on fires, as it takes about four hours for the forest department to react and attend to fire points through feeds obtained from satellites, officials said.
In addition, forest personnel now use modern equipment including mechanised blowers, special boots, hand gloves, eye shields, helmets and fluorescent jackets. Forest officials said most of the forest fires are man-made and rampant in summer from Feb to April. Villagers burn dry leaves that fall on the ground to collect mahua flowers. In the process, massive forest fires break out. Mahua flowers never catch fire.
In Feb and March 2021, Similipal witnessed the highest of 47,101 active fire points. While a central team visited the core areas and fire-ravaged patches of Similipal in March 2021, state govt deployed 50 personnel of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) to douse the wildfires.
