The forest department in Uttarakhand has initiated a large-scale operation to restore and maintain fire lines—strips of land cleared of vegetation—across six forest divisions. This exercise involves clearing nearly 15,000 trees along a cumulative stretch of 1,235 kilometers.
Strengthening Fire Prevention Measures
Officials stated that the move is designed to bolster forest fire prevention measures ahead of the dry season. The restoration work will be carried out in the Dehradun, Champawat, Nainital, Ramnagar, Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, and Kalsi Soil Conservation divisions.
The forest corporation has received authorization to mark and fell trees. According to officials, out of the total identified log lots, 93 are located in Kumaon, 37 in Garhwal, and four in wildlife areas.
Strategies for Ecological Balance
Sushant Patnaik, the state nodal officer for forest fires and disaster management, explained that working plans define division-specific strategies to balance ecological preservation with fire risk management. Fire lines act as natural firebreaks, necessitating the clearing of these stretches.
Maintaining fire lines is particularly crucial in vulnerable forest zones, as they help prevent the spread of wildfires by creating gaps in vegetation. The department has identified at least 1,689 forest beats in the state as vulnerable to forest fires. Among these, 84 are classified as highly sensitive, 291 as moderately sensitive, and 1,364 as low-sensitive.
Impact of Recent Fire Incidents
Forest department data reveals that since the beginning of the summer fire season in February, approximately 122 hectares of forest land have been affected by 200 fire incidents across the state.
This initiative underscores the state's commitment to proactive forest management and wildfire mitigation.
