Prevent fire in forests, Chief Conservator of Forests tells staff  

Rajamahendravaram: Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) JSN Murthy has underscored the need to initiate steps to avoid the outbreak of fire accidents in forests. He said that during summer, there was a scope for the spread of wild fire and stressed on the need to devise an action plan to avoid wildfires in the ensuing three months.

Addressing the officials of the Forest Department of Krishna, West and East Godavari districts here on Monday, the CCF said that every forest officials should take precautionary steps in this regard. During summer, the dry leaves of various trees fall on the ground and there is every likelihood that they catch fire accidentally due to friction, heat or lighted cigarette buts thrown on the ground.

In most of the cases, they occur due to human errors and lapses, he added. The CCF said that if anyone throws lighted cigarettes or bidis without putting them off after smoking, they catch fire and it would be very difficult to recover the losses. Many wild animals, plants and trees would perish in the flames as fire spreads very fast, he warned.

The impact of wildfire was heavy on wild animals as well as on environment. Also, some hunters also burn the forests for wild animals, he lamented. Supervisory officers were appointed to implement the plan to avoid wildfires in the three districts, he added.