Forests are no exemption to fires during summer. While the general assumption is that trees get dried up and leaves catch fire when they rub against each other, or due to the scorching sun, man seems to be the culprit in causing most of those fires. Environmental and wildlife activist K. Kalidasan of Osai said that forest fires are a bane to the existing shrinking forest cover in the country. “Forest cover in Tamil Nadu is a mere 17.5 per cent against the required minimum mandatory cover of 33 per cent. On the other hand, wildlife habited and every green forest cover is a mere 6 per cent,” he said.
On reasons for forest fires, he said that it was due to ignorance as some carelessly abandon their cigarette butts or matchstick without putting it out.
Some set the forest on fire believing that it would facilitate better grass growth for cattle and forest fires will attract rain. “Angry mischief mongers agitated over denial of permission to get into the forest too enjoy the pleasure of setting the forest on fire,” he added.
According to him, fire in forest grassland also affects the wildlife but the damage is repairable.
“But fire in the ever green shola forests even causes irreparable damage to the herbivores and the forest on the whole. Many small herbivores are on the verge of extinction due to the climatic change and fires in their homes (forest) would facilitate their extinction,” he lamented.
Forest fires are much different from the ones in the plains. Most forest fires cannot be put off by the fire and rescue services department as the fire tenders cannot reach such places. It is tough to fight them and at times it takes days to put of major fires.
By that the flame would have destroyed several acres of green cover and wildlife too.
Mr. Kalidasan strongly believes that forest fires could be reduced drastically by the active involvement of the people living in tribal settlements at the forest’s periphery.
“Forest fires directly affect the drinking water sources to the hamlet. On realising this villagers would realise the importance of protecting their forest from fire,” he said.
Tourists too should be enlightened on safe disposal of cigarettes and fire at par with the awareness on reducing use of plastic wastes in the forest.
