State reports 759 fire points, highest so far | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: The state on Sunday reported 759 fire points, this year’s highest so far, in 39 forest divisions as the temperature soared above 40°C at many places. By 12 pm, 141 active fire points were reported in 27 divisions.
More than 50 fire points were reported from Bonai, Rayagada, Paralakhemundi and Koraput forest divisions, with the highest of 68 from Bonai. Nayagarh, Mahanadi wildlife and Baripada divisions each recorded one fire point. Similipal north division reported only 11 fire points, forest officials said.
“Out of the 759 fire points, we attended to (doused flames) 88.27% of them so far. On Saturday, according to Forest Survey of India (FSI) data, the state reported 618 fire points, of which 99% were responded to,” said a forest officer in charge of monitoring the fires.
This year, more than 10,000 fire points have been detected across the state so far. Forest officials said the all-terrain vehicles that were inducted to reach inaccessible areas have been useful in dousing forest fires and rescuing trapped personnel. A state-level control room is functioning round-the-clock with a toll-free number (18003457158) at the office of the head of the forest force to keep a watch on forest fires. Control rooms are also functioning at the division levels.
Officials said most of the forest fires are man-made and are rampant from Feb to April. Villagers burn dry leaves while collecting mahua flowers and in the process, forest fires break out. Mahua flowers never catch fire.
Similipal Tiger Reserve, whose topography has hills and high terrains, records most fires. But this year so far, fires in Similipal are under control and not alarming. To counter the fires, the Similipal authorities have installed smart cameras for round-the-clock surveillance. The technology is used to keep a watch on forest fires in South America and Africa, officials said.
More than 50 fire points were reported from Bonai, Rayagada, Paralakhemundi and Koraput forest divisions, with the highest of 68 from Bonai. Nayagarh, Mahanadi wildlife and Baripada divisions each recorded one fire point. Similipal north division reported only 11 fire points, forest officials said.
“Out of the 759 fire points, we attended to (doused flames) 88.27% of them so far. On Saturday, according to Forest Survey of India (FSI) data, the state reported 618 fire points, of which 99% were responded to,” said a forest officer in charge of monitoring the fires.
This year, more than 10,000 fire points have been detected across the state so far. Forest officials said the all-terrain vehicles that were inducted to reach inaccessible areas have been useful in dousing forest fires and rescuing trapped personnel. A state-level control room is functioning round-the-clock with a toll-free number (18003457158) at the office of the head of the forest force to keep a watch on forest fires. Control rooms are also functioning at the division levels.
Officials said most of the forest fires are man-made and are rampant from Feb to April. Villagers burn dry leaves while collecting mahua flowers and in the process, forest fires break out. Mahua flowers never catch fire.
Similipal Tiger Reserve, whose topography has hills and high terrains, records most fires. But this year so far, fires in Similipal are under control and not alarming. To counter the fires, the Similipal authorities have installed smart cameras for round-the-clock surveillance. The technology is used to keep a watch on forest fires in South America and Africa, officials said.
