Forest fire menace tackled effectively,say officials

The Forest Department with the help of the Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMC) has been able to put a check on forest fires in several parts of the tribal belt in central Gujarat.

Suresh Jani,Deputy Conservator of Forests,Godhra Range,said that around 400 JFMCs are on alert in the forests. Forest fires happen here either due to friction between branches in the dry season or human carelessness. However,the areas damaged by the forest fires are comparatively negligible, he said.

Meanwhile,fire lines have been drawn across the forest areas in the state.

Maintenance of the fire lines is important and it is being done with the help of the JFMCs, he said. The fire lines are eight to 15 metres wide depending on the thickness of the jungle.

Range Forest Officer R D Maharaja of Narmada district said that fire lines have been drawn across various ranges in the state to prevent forest fires. Villagers awareness plays an important role in preventing the spread of fires. Sometimes,the villagers relay the information to nearby villages within seconds by beating drums, added Maharaja.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram