The Similipal Forest of Odisha will have no major fire outbreak this season. This has been possible due to the great awareness programme made by the people and the government of Odisha, which has led to stockpiling every possible way to prevent forest fires in the region. Moreover, the tribal communities and the forest officials also helped in the awareness campaigns.
Fire incidences were noticed in the Nawana range of Similipal north division on March 29 and were doused immediately, Similipal Tiger Reserve field director M Yogajayanand told PTI.
Yogajayanand appealed to all not to spread misinformation on the fire. “The forest fire in Similipal is totally controlled this season due to massive awareness programmes involving local tribal communities, tribal leaders, nature lovers and NGOs,” he said.
The Similipal National Park authority has been conducting mass-awareness drives and training programmes in villages inside it to create fire breaks in buffer areas. The measure will prevent the spread of uncontrolled fire toward the core areas, forest department officials said. Hundreds of fire watchers have been deployed in various strategic locations of Similipal and mock drills were organised at many places. Drones are being used to detect forest fires, they said.
Villagers are also extending help to carry out the controlled burning exercise in which dry vegetation in the forest area is intentionally set ablaze to reduce the risk of wildfires, the officials said.
