Modern tech to protect forest wealth from summer fires
To safeguard the rich forest wealth under the Nurpur Forest Division, the Forest Department has prepared a comprehensive plan to tackle forest fires during the upcoming fire season, which starts from April 15 and extends till July 15 or the onset of the monsoon. The department has ramped up its preparedness with a robust, multi-layered strategy designed to strengthen both prevention and rapid response capabilities.
The Nurpur Forest Division, comprising five forest ranges—Nurpur, Kotla, Jawali, Indora and Rey—covers 38,892.84 hectares of reserved forest, 5,151.49 hectares of demarcated protected forest, 26,159.82 hectares of un-demarcated protected forest, and 7,858.18 hectares under Cooperative Forest Societies. Of the 82 forest beats in the division, 34 have been marked as “very sensitive” and 15 as “sensitive” based on their vulnerability to forest fires. Special instructions have been given to field personnel to remain vigilant and respond promptly to any fire outbreak. Additionally, newly appointed Van-Mitras will assist forest staff in firefighting efforts.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Nurpur, Amit Sharma, stated that this year, the division has devised a new multi-pronged action plan to protect the forests during the fire season, a time when fires typically intensify due to rising temperatures and dry conditions. All forest personnel have been registered on the Forest Survey of India’s Forest Fire Alert Messaging System, which will provide real-time, satellite-based alerts directly to their mobile phones, ensuring swift deployment of firefighting teams.
To enhance firefighting capabilities, the division has upgraded its arsenal with advanced equipment including fire rakes, leaf blowers, fire beaters, axes, chainsaws, fire-resistant suits, drones, and Public Announcement Systems. These resources will significantly improve the efficiency of firefighting operations.
Since forest fires have been officially notified as natural disasters, each panchayat has appointed a Disaster Mitra under the Disaster Management Act. These volunteers will collaborate with forest staff during fire emergencies. Coordination has also been established with the 14th Battalion of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Nurpur, for expert intervention during severe fire incidents.
Further strengthening its response system, the forest division has launched a state-level online forest fire reporting portal and formed a Forest Fire Reserve Task Force led by the Assistant Conservator of Forests, Nurpur. A dedicated forest fire control room has also been set up at the divisional headquarters with the emergency contact number 85804 54831.
In the last fire season, the division recorded 79 fire incidents that damaged 805 hectares of forest area. The DFO warned that individuals found intentionally igniting fires would face strict legal action, including FIR registration. Upon conviction, offenders could face up to two years of imprisonment and a monetary fine.
With this holistic approach combining manpower, technology, and legal enforcement, the Nurpur Forest Division aims to significantly reduce the occurrence and impact of forest fires this year.
Himachal Tribune