MYSURU: Intent on securing the thick woods from raging infernos, forest department officials at the Bandipur Tiger Reserve, which is infamous for its annual forest fires, has sought the assistance of Indian Air Force (IAF).
Foresters have requested the IAF to operate flights at low altitudes to help detect fires and alert the department on the ground to mitigate the disaster.
Field director and Bandipur Tiger Reserve conservator of forests Natesha Sri Rajappa said that he had discussed the possibility of such an operation with Air Marshal RD Mathur, who heads the IAF Training Command. “We have requested IAF to deploy helicopters to alert us about forest fires and help extinguish them. The IAF authorities have agreed to help,” Rajappa told STOI.
Pointing to the difference that aerial monitoring of the forest would make to the reaction time, Rajappa added, “If the officers operating the flight provide us with the details of the fire, we can rush to the spot and douse the fire immediately.”
Among other measures that foresters at Bandipur have put in place to check the spread of wildfire include carving out of fire lines. “We have more or less completed clearing all the weeds. We have already initiated work on advanced burning processes, and mapped areas and zones prone to fires. Our fire management approval plan has already received a nod from our superiors,” said Rajappa.
The foresters have also been raising awareness among the villagers around the woods on the measures needed to adopt to check wildfires. Messages are being sent to their phones hoardings being erected, local leaders are being involved in discussions and street plays are being performed.
‘We want zero forest fires’
Rajappa said that farmers and owners of resorts around the reserve have been issued a notice, informing them of the measures adopted by the department for the coming summer.
“We are intent on achieving a zero forest fire in 2021, and we are leaving no stone unturned to ensuring that goal. Farmers have been directed to inform the officer in their jurisdiction before setting fire in their field. This way, our officers will be on the spot and prevent the fire from spreading to the forest,” he added.
Assistant conservator of forests for Gundlupet K Paramesh told STOI, “At the coordination meeting attended by foresters from Bandipur, Wayanad and Mudhumalai, we discussed preparedness to deal with forest fires, in addition to deliberating on issues such as joint patrols, elephant corridors and eradication of weeds. The primary topic of discussion was prevention of forest fires during the summer.”