Forest fires to be tackled using technology, community participation: Maharashtra minister

Mumbai, Feb 11 (PTI) With Gadchiroli in eastern Maharashtra reporting the highest number of wildfires among districts in the country, the state forest department is taking several preventive steps using technology and enlisting the help of local communities, a minister said.

Gadchiroli reported 7,042 forest fires between November 2023 and June 2024, while Maharashtra on the whole ranked fifth in the country with 16,008 incidents recorded during this period, said the India State of Forest Report 2023 (ISFR 2023).

The report was published in December 2024.

“The department is actively working to prevent fires using modern technology, including GIS (Geographic Information System) and remote sensing to predict high-risk areas,” Forest Minister Ganesh Naik told PTI on Monday.

“We have set up forest fire control centres, and fire-blower machines are being used to clear dry leaves, to stop fires from spreading. Observation towers have also been put up in certain pockets,” he said.

The forest department is also raising awareness about the danger of forest fire among the tribals and other local communities, Naik said.

“Forests are crucial to our ecosystem, and their protection is not just the government’s responsibility but that of society as a whole,” the minister noted.

Patrolling in forested areas has been intensified and `fire lines’ are being created so that a blaze does not spread, said an official.

The department has also launched a helpline — 1926 — for fire reporting, he added.

Asked about claims by forest officials that sometimes local people start fires deliberately, minister Naik said strict action will be taken in such cases.

Fires are often started to clear land for agriculture, grazing, or for encroachment, according to officials.

In fact, a majority of forest fire incidents are human-induced, said an official.

In some cases, careless acts, such as tossing away a burning cigarette butt or leaving a campfire unattended, cause a wildfire.

Wildfires have a devastating impact on biodiversity, destroying, among other things, medicinal plants and rare trees, and causing habitat loss for various species including deer, foxes, and birds.

Naik noted that forest fires not only damage the wildlife and flora, but also contribute to pollution and carbon emissions.

“With a combination of advanced technology, community involvement and strict enforcement, we are committed to safeguarding Maharashtra’s forests from fire,” he said.