Bhubaneswar: A total of 53,820.9 hectares of forest land in Odisha have been affected by wildfires in the last five years, as informed by the Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram SinghKhuntia in the state assembly on Tuesday.
In a written response to a question by Daspalla MLA Ramesh Chandra Behera, SinghKhuntia stated that, as of March 17, 2025, wildfires have scorched 3,033.27 hectares of forest land this year alone.
The Minister further detailed the following year-by-year statistics on forest land affected by fires:
- 2021: 28,569.98 hectares
- 2022: 8,438.21 hectares
- 2023: 9,711.72 hectares
- 2024: 4,067.72 hectares
SinghKhuntia also confirmed that Odisha remains ranked second in the nation for the extent of damage caused by wildfires in 2025.
In response to the ongoing threat, the Minister stressed the urgent need for proactive measures to combat and prevent wildfires across the state.
To this end, the Odisha government has implemented a comprehensive range of fire prevention initiatives, including:
- District Action Plans (DAP): Developed for wildfire prevention and control across all districts.
- Training & Mock Drills: Awareness meetings and mock drills for the Fire Protection Squads have been completed throughout the forest areas.
- Fire Lines: New fire lines have been created, and older ones are being maintained to contain the spread of fires.
- Fire Protection Squads: Squads, along with vehicles, have been deployed in every forest division for rapid response.
- Firefighting Equipment: Fire protection kits have been provided to the squads to enhance their effectiveness.
- Wildfire Alerts: Forest officers and departmental staff are registered on the FSI portal to receive real-time wildfire alerts.
- Mobile App Utilization: Officers respond to alerts using the Odisha Forest Management System (OFMS) mobile app.
- 24×7 Control Rooms: A state-level control room and division headquarters are operational for continuous monitoring and management.
- Incentives for Villages: Villages that excel in wildfire prevention and control are rewarded with cash incentives.
- AI Cameras in Similipal: Advanced AI cameras have been installed to provide round-the-clock monitoring of wildfires in the Similipal region.
These measures reflect the government’s commitment to protecting Odisha’s forests and addressing the growing challenge of wildfire management.
