Several measures to be taken by Pune Forest Department to prevent forest fires
Several measures to be taken by Pune Forest Department to prevent forest fires (Representational Image )
To prevent forest fires, the Pune division of the forest department will implement a number of measures by February 15 and keep them in place until the monsoon season begins.
There are more forest fires during the previously mentioned time frame. The department wants to shorten response times and avoid situations like this.
About 24 camps will be set up by the department in the division’s 12 ranges. Each camp will have a four-person team made up of two volunteers with experience fighting fires, a forest guard, and a ground officer. Additionally, 200 forest observers will be placed throughout the division.
According to a senior Pune Forest Department official, the department needs more personnel to effectively prevent and combat forest fires because it’s a dangerous and skilled job. Depending on where the fire has been found, they send teams of ten individuals each.
An additional official from the Pune Forest Department stated that the data utilized in their plan dates back a decade. Over the past ten years, they have gathered data on the quantity of incidents and the frequency of fire outbreaks at specific locations throughout the division. In an effort to shorten response times, they chose to set up camps adjacent to sensitive locations.
The department is now finishing up the drawing of firelines in areas where there are frequent fires, with widths of 6 meters, 9 meters, and 12 meters (depending on the size of the land). When grass grows to enormous proportions, it is burned to stop it from spreading. This is done on the designated width of firelines.
Additionally, the department uses a satellite-based system to identify forest fires and promptly notify staff members across all jurisdictions.
Farmers have been receiving notices from the department since December asking them not to burn stubble or sugarcane on their property during that time. Farmers who had previously engaged in these kinds of activities have been informed of the risks involved.
Senior forest officials stated that in order to get an early flush of grassland or sprouts in May, farmers typically burn field grass and/or stumps in March or April. Nevertheless, the action frequently results in extensive forest fires.
