Forest department launches SMS alerts to notify forest fire incidents

  • | Saturday | 16th February, 2019

The move of the forest department is commendable, since everyone carries a mobile phone nowadays.”According to report of the state forest department, forest fire incidents recorded a 1,333% increase in the last eight years (2011-18) in the state.The data pointed out that in 2011, 150 incidents of forest fires were reported and 213 hectares gutted. In order to receive the alerts, one must get registered in the forest department website. In 2018, such incidents jumped to 2,150 where 4,480 hectares were razed.According to forest officials, the main reason behind rising incidents of forest fire include changing weather patterns as well as rapid spread of pine needles (which are combustible) in forest areas. Fire season in the state starts on February 15 and lasts till June 15.Earlier, the SMS alert system was available only to forest officials, but now the facility has been extended to the local community as well. This will help us to alert the public in a more efficient manner and ensure their safety.”He added: “The SMS will contain the pinpoint location where the fire has broken out.

NAINITAL: In a first in the country, the state forest department, in collaboration with the Forest Survey of India (FSI), has launched SMS alert service wherein local residents would be notified via text message whenever forest fire breaks out near their area.This came a month after the forest officials made public its official handles on Facebook Instagram and Twitter , urging people to alert them quickly about jungle blaze incidents. Fire season in the state starts on February 15 and lasts till June 15.Earlier, the SMS alert system was available only to forest officials, but now the facility has been extended to the local community as well. In order to receive the alerts, one must get registered in the forest department website. At present, the Himalayan state has 44 forest divisions.The forest officials opened the registration process on Friday.PM Dhakate, conservator of forest, western circle, who has been active with local community about the initiative, told TOI, “This is for the first time that an option of SMS alert has been thrown open to the public. This will help us to alert the public in a more efficient manner and ensure their safety.”He added: “The SMS will contain the pinpoint location where the fire has broken out. For every four hours the people will be receiving alerts regarding the status of the fire and how many officers are deployed in that particular area.”Welcoming the initiative, noted environmentalist and Padama awardee Anup Sah said, “The initiative is good as it ensures the involvement of the people. The move of the forest department is commendable, since everyone carries a mobile phone nowadays.”According to report of the state forest department, forest fire incidents recorded a 1,333% increase in the last eight years (2011-18) in the state.The data pointed out that in 2011, 150 incidents of forest fires were reported and 213 hectares gutted. In 2018, such incidents jumped to 2,150 where 4,480 hectares were razed.According to forest officials, the main reason behind rising incidents of forest fire include changing weather patterns as well as rapid spread of pine needles (which are combustible) in forest areas. Lack of resources, they claim, also affect fire-monitoring and dousing operations.

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