Mechanised blowers to contain fires in Jeypore forest

KORAPUT: The Jeypore forest division has started using mechanised blowers instead of traditional methods in its six ranges to contain fires during summer. Fire-fighters are working round the clock but things appear to be out of control as traditional methods of dousing fire with tree branches are yielding very little results, official sources said.
"At times we find it difficult to control wild fire deep inside the forests as not only is it dangerous as fire spreads quickly due to the presence of dry leaves but also absence of modern equipment makes our work tricky. The mechanised blowers will be helpful," said N P J Singh, divisional forest officer, Jeypore.
According to the officer, the mechanised air blower is used to draw fire lines inside the forest to prevent spread of fire. "We generally dig up fire lines in forests to prevent spread of fire but if a fire breaks out then immediately we can blow up the dry leaves from the nearby areas through the mechanised blower to stop it from spreading," said Singh.
Apart from providing one fire blower each to the 68 fire beats, it has deployed 60 fire watchers and six fire vehicles to contain the wild fire.
Official sources said a database of areas where regular forest fires were spotted in the past four years has been drawn up. "We are also holding meetings in villages and haats (weekly markets) making people aware not to light fire in forest areas and to quickly inform the forest officials when they notice fire in forest," said Subash Khuntia, ACF, Jeypore forest division.
Spread over 2,498 sq km, the Jeypore forest division comprises Jeypore, Boipariguda, Kotpad, Gupteswar, Kundura and Borigumma forest ranges with a forest cover of 1104 sq km.