Haridwar. After the massive fire in the forest of California, USA, the Forest Department of Uttarakhand has also been alerted. On one hand, Forest Department and Disaster Department officials are holding continuous meetings regarding the next fire season, while on the other hand, a two-day workshop was organized in Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
A team from Corbett also participated in this workshop. In the workshop, the officials of Rajaji Tiger Reserve told the participants about better management to prevent forest fires in the last few years. During this, the Deputy Director of Rajaji Reserve told the participants about the methods used to control forest fire in Rajaji in the last few years.
This workshop was organized at the Interpretation Center Chilla in Chilla range of Rajaji Tiger Reserve. In which two-day training related to forest fire and water management was given.
In view of the success of forest fire and water management in Rajaji Tiger Reserve in the last years, employees of Corbett Tiger Reserve, Lansdowne Forest Division and Haridwar Forest Division participated in this Training on the first day of the workshop, the participants were informed in detail through Power Point Presentation regarding the success of forest fire and water management in Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
Rajaji Forest Fire Management Model
In the workshop, the participants were told that for the first time in forest fire management, forest fire alerts of previous years were studied through GIS technology. On this basis, sensitive areas and forest fire starting areas were identified.
In this management, a new system of exchange of information was established between the field staff and the newly established GIS Based Forest Fire Monitoring cell in the main office of Rajaji Tiger Reserve through WhatsApp Groups and Wireless System. Through which information about all actions related to forest fire management was received in real time and instructions for further action were also provided immediately.
Drones were also used for monitoring sensitive areas. Fire fighting teams were also formed by Rajaji Tiger Reserve in the fire season of the year 2024. They were provided equipment like First Aid Kit, Leaf Blower, Torch, Power Bank, Wireless Handset, Fire Rake, etc.
Regarding fire alerts from NASA’s SNPP VIIRS satellite in the forest fire season of 2024, compared to the average of data available from 2012 to 2023 (250 fire alerts), only 94 fire alerts were received under Rajaji Tiger Reserve. This means that during this period an average of 63 percent less fire alerts were received. Apart from this, the participants in the workshop were also told the importance of reading maps, keeping the fire lines and buttresses clean and mapping the approach route
