Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Forest Department has successfully managed to control an impressive 99.5% of wildfires across the state.
This achievement highlights the department’s proactive measures and effective response strategies to safeguard the state’s valuable forest resources.
“A total of 15,723 kilometers of new firelines have been created across the state to effectively prevent the spread of wildfires, while an additional 16,623 kilometers of existing firelines have been maintained. To ensure robust fire protection, 334 fire protection squads have been deployed across all divisions of the state,” stated Suresh Pant, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of the Forest Force (HoFF) during a press meet on Monday.
Pant also highlighted that each squad has been equipped with a vehicle, staff, and necessary firefighting equipment.
In an innovative step, the department has installed advanced AI technology to aid in fire detection.
“For the first time in Odisha, five AI cameras were installed in Similipal, capable of detecting fires in real time. Additionally, four AI cameras were installed in Rourkela. These cameras not only detect forest fires but also monitor wildlife movements in real time,” Pant explained.
Moreover, PCCF Pant mentioned that by March 16, 2025, the forest department had received a total of 14,924 forest fire alerts, of which they responded to 14,922 alerts.
“Our response rate is 99.5%,” he concluded.
