Berhampur: With forest fire incidents averaging between 7,000 and 7,500 annually over the past five years, the Berhampur Forest Circle has intensified its preparedness measures ahead of the peak fire season, rolling out a comprehensive prevention and response strategy across its seven divisions.
According to Berhampur Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sunny Khokhar, around 600 km of fire lines have been created in vulnerable forest areas to prevent the spread of flames. Nearly 600 fire brooms (jhaapa) have been arranged, several of which are already operational, while the remainder are undergoing maintenance to ensure full readiness.
To strengthen rapid response efforts, the Forest Department has deployed 42 vehicles and constituted 408 fire protection squads for round-the-clock monitoring and immediate action. The Berhampur Circle encompasses seven forest divisions, making coordination and early intervention crucial during the dry months.
In addition, district-level fire action plans have been prepared for Kandhamal, Boudh, Ganjam and Gajapati. These plans were formulated in consultation with stakeholders under the chairmanship of the respective District Collectors to ensure interdepartmental coordination during emergencies.
“We have completed all preparatory activities and are fully equipped to tackle forest fires this season,” said DFO Sunny Khokhar while briefing the media on Tuesday.
