Nearly 378 forest fire broke out due to rise in temperature

Shimla: As many as 378 forest fires broke out in different parts of Himachal Pradesh this summer due to inflammable parched pine needles, following dry weather and sudden rise in day temperatures.

"Fires occurred on 3000 hectare areas, mostly in lower areas of Solan, Sirmaur, Bilaspur, Kangra, Hamirpur, Shimla and some other places but all these were ground fires caused by burning of highly inflammable dry pine needles," Principal Chief Conservator of Forsets, S P Vasudeva said.

As many as 378 fires broke out in forests in different parts of the state but there was no major loss as the department is fully geared up to tackle the situation as dry pine needles will continue to fall till end of May, he said.

Vasudeva said two cement companies are already purchasing pine needles and efforts are being made to persuade other cement manufacturers to buy the pine needles in bulk as these are used in the furnace.

He said a meeting with cement manufacturers is slated for May 7. The department had made preparations in advance with existing fire lines cleared and new ones created by March. 750 local fire watchers were deputed by April 15 to immediately inform about any fire incident in the forests, the Chief Conservator said.

Centrally sponsored 'Intensive Forest Management Scheme' has been launched and the task of creating fire lines and deputing the 'Fire Watcher' is being done under it.

Satellite links have been provided and alerts are sent to concerned forest guards and other forest officials about fire incidents within their jurisdiction, he said.

In neighbouring Uttarakhand, NDRF has deployed over 130 personnel as part of multiple fire fighting teams to combat the raging forest fire in the jungles of the state that have destroyed about 2,269 hectares of jungles in several districts and claimed at least seven lives till now.