Mumbai: Before the onset of summer, the state forest department has started preparations to lay down ‘fire lines’ in the dense forest areas to prevent the incidents of forest fires. Fire lines are the gaps drawn at length in vegetation or combustible forest materials like dry leaves, which divides the forest areas into blocks and prevent a fire from spreading during a case of forest fires. The forest department will also be deploying a ten-member special team of guards at each range.
In Thane region, forest areas in Shil and Yeoor are more prone to forest fires, said forest officials from Thane Division. “We have already alerted our officials regarding incidents of forest fires. A special team of guards, equipped with fire blowers will be deployed. Particularly in these two areas, we have started laying fire lines too with a width of six meters or twelve meters at some areas, so that the fire in one block does not reach another,” said Jitendra Ramgaonkar, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Thane Division.
The forest guards are alerted about the fire incidents at remote or distant forest areas by the Forest Survey of India, Dehradun which monitors the forest fire in real time through remote sensing and GIS-based technology. “After getting fire alert from the FSI, the forest guards can reach the spot within 30 minutes,” added Mr Ramgaonkar.
The forest department has also started cleaning of water holes in Andhari, Tadoba, Nagzira, Melghat forests among others to provide water for the wild animals to save them from dehydration.
