Fighting forest fires

The forest tracts from the foothills of the Shivaliks to the interior of the Himalayas have been exposed to frequent fires during the last few summers. Statistics show that the state of Himachal Pradesh alone had nearly 4,500 cases of forest fire from 1995 to 1999. K. L. Noatay reports on these hazardous fires that are playing havoc with the ecology of the region

PINE trees growing in hilly terrain are prone to frequent fires during hot summer months. The forest tracts from the foothills of Shivaliks to the interior of Himalayas have been exposed to frequent fires during last few summers. Statistics show that the state of Himachal Pradesh alone had nearly 4500 cases of forest fire from 1995 to 1999. The state had nearly 1000 cases of forest fires affecting nearly 57,000 hectares of forest land during 1995 alone. The incidence of fires was much more heavy and severe in 1999 when fires razed nearly 60,000 hectares of forest area. Last year, one forest guard lost his life while trying to put out a forest fire in Hamirpur district. The burning of a forest plays havoc with the ecology of the area.

Last year, North India had a very dry winter, spring as well as summer. Forest fires, which broke out in the beginning of spring, affected not only Himachal Pradesh but the Garhwal area of Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir as well. Chir forests in the lower altitudes of the Shivaliks are more prone to the hazard. The highly fire-prone pine, and ban, kail, deodar forests in the middle and outer Himalayas too suffered from these fires. Some 80,000 hectares of forests were devastated in the Garhwal area of Uttar Pradesh alone. Forest wealth worth crores of rupees was gutted.

Keeping in view the unusually heavy incidence of forest fires in Himachal Pradesh last year, the Chief Minister had set up a special control room in his office to monitor the measures taken by the forest officials to fight the fires. Stress was laid on the active involvement of villagers enjoying rights over the forests to aid the authorities in putting off the fires immediately on sighting them.

The state has also entered into a memorandum of understanding with the World Bank for a $ 60,000 project with the Australian government to obtain the latest knowhow on tackling forest fires in the state. Australian experts have imparted special training and the latest knowhow to the forest officials of the state detailed for the purpose. The officers trained in Australia are now imparting training to other officials in Forestry School at Kuther in Kangra district.

The Himachal Pradesh Forest Department has enlisted the following factors which cause forest fires:

* Whenever the villagers burn dry weeds and bushes in their private ghasnis (grass land) some cinders fly and fall in the adjacent forest land, setting it afire.

* Sometimes negligent or absent-minded smokers passing through the forest area throw smouldering matchsticks or beedi and cigarette-ends on the forest floor.

* Fire left unattended by labourers or graziers working in or passing through the forest areas.

* Incendiarism resorted to by certain selfish individuals to destroy the forest crop and grab the land so rendered vacant.

* Incendiarism resorted to by certain mischievous elements.

A standard operating procedure (SOP) on fire protection captioned ‘Departmental firing in chir forests’ was first laid down in 1914 by a British Forest Officer, Glover. The matter was continuously researched, instructions reviewed and the SOP revised in the years 1927, 1931 and 1932. The latest version of the finally reviewed and revised SOP was published in 1940 under the title, ‘Punjab Forest Leaflet No 8’ under the authorship of C.G. Trevor, the then Chief Conservator of Forests of Punjab. This 11-paged document is the ‘Bible’ on fires in chir forests. If this SOP is followed conscientiously, meticulously and in good time, there is no question of forest fires ever occurring anywhere.

Brief contents of the Leaflet No 8

This leaflet gives an exhaustive list of causes of forest fires, season when they mostly occur, importance of relations of forest staff with villagers (right holders), division of the forest crop into periodic blocks, specifying

duration of closure and opening of blocks so laid out for affecting fellings, controlling grazing rights et al for helping/inducing natural or manually assisted regeneration of new forest crop, reduction of inflammability of the leaf-litter on the forest floor, special measures for fire protection in chir forests, especially those tapped for resin and cutting and clearing fire lanes for fighting forest fires etc. The

SOP also specifies the dimensions, locations, distribution and functions of fire lanes and connecting contour paths. The pattern of manning the fire lanes, both during control burning as well as actual fire fighting are clearly stated. The document goes into minutest detail and even advises the executive foresters not to deal with proven offenders of incendiarism in forest fires under section 26 and 33 of Indian Forest Act, 1927, because the punishment catered therein is too mild to match the seriousness the matter really deserves. The SOP instead suggests sternest and exemplary punishment(s) under section 435 of the Indian Penal Code to make the punitive action really deterrent.

To protect forest wealth from fires, as also other harmful agents, there is need for co-ordination between the Secretariat and the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests’ office, on the one hand, and on the other hand among various internal wings of Forest Department like the territorial wing, working plan wing, research, and wildlife wing. There should be no shortage of funds for hiring special fire protection staff and for procuring essential equipment.

The duties of a forest officer, especially fighting forest fires, entail a lot of hard work as well as a risk to the official’s life. It demands a spirit of selflessness and sacrifice. The death of a forest guard while trying to put off a forest fire in Hamirpur district last year is a case in point. Good performance in such as exacting field should be appreciated.

Keeping in view the contents of the detailed British-era SOP on fire protection by C.G. Trevor, it will be wrong to say that a dry spell triggers fire accidents. If the essential precautions prescribed in the SOP are taken and the remedial measures suggested therein diligently followed, the invaluable forest wealth, environment and ecology will come to no harm.

THE state’s Forest Department has issued the following "do’s and don’ts" for preventing forest fires:-

lBe very careful about forest fires and don’t light one without proper and full justification and essential precautions.

lKeep in mind the hazards and dangers of fires.

lDo not light a fire near or in a forest, especially during summer.

lCounsel ignorant neighbours and others against lighting a fire in or around a forest area.

lIf you notice a forest fire, beat it at once with brooms made of brushwood having green leaves.

lIf you notice a forest fire, report its occurrence at once to the nearest official(s) concerned.

lCo-operate with forest officials in preventing and extinguishing forest fires.

lRemember that rights of the villagers to forest produce can be suspended in the event of any default on their part with regard to protection of forests against fire.

lIf you own a piece of land on the periphery of a forest, be extremely careful in use of fire for disposal of the waste material on your plot.