Bhaderwah administration sets up 24-hour control rooms to combat forest fires
The Forest Division Bhaderwah has established round-the-clock monitoring in four forest ranges to respond to potential fire outbreaks during the dry season.
The Forest Division Bhaderwah has established round-the-clock control rooms across four forest ranges to prepare for forest fire incidents during the dry season, according to ANI.
These control rooms are located in the Neeru, Kellar, Bhalessa and Chiralla ranges. The department has deployed firefighting teams from the Territorial Forest Wing, the Forest Protection Force and the State Forest Corporation (SFC) to tackle outbreaks.
Bhaderwah Divisional Forest Officer Devinder Kumar said the department mapped every range to identify highly vulnerable forest compartments using data from the last 10 years. He stated that joint control rooms have been set up next to these compartments.
Kumar told ANI that the control rooms are connected with Fire and Emergency Services to ensure the mobilisation of resources. The department is also conducting firefighting drills to assess personnel preparedness.
Last year, the Bhaderwah Forest Division dealt with at least 30 to 35 forest fire cases covering more than 1 hectare of land, Kumar said.
Kumar appealed to residents living near forest fringe areas to remain vigilant and avoid burning fields. He requested the public to report any signs of fire to authorities immediately to help control them.