Madikeri: The forest department is taking measures to control forest fires across Kodagu district, ahead of the summer season. Extra attention is being paid to ensure the safety of forest fringes along the national and state highways, even as over 60 forest personnel will monitor and ensure safety across these fringes.The forest regions across Annekadu and Thithimathi-Anechowkuru are more vulnerable to accidental forest fires in the district, as these forest fringes are located along the national highways. The department completed drawing fire lines along these forest fringes, and additional staff were deployed across these fringes to monitor safety measures.
“In view of the increasing forest areas in the Mattigodu forest and Chennangi area, an additional 65 fire watchmen have been appointed and 5 watchtowers were constructed,” confirmed Devaraj, Mathigodu RFO. He explained that senior officers are conducting a beat regularly to monitor the arrangements to curb forest fires.The department deployed ‘fire watchmen’ who will monitor developments along the highway lining the forest fringes. They will keep a check on unnecessary parking of vehicles, curb cases of littering on the forest fringes, and alert the department in case of any accidental fire.The RFO confirmed that these fire personnel were deployed every 200 metres on the Anechowkuru-Hunsuru route lining the forest. In case of any accidental fire in the forest area, the fire brigade vehicles were earlier deployed from Gonikoppal. However, to avoid the delay, a fire brigade team was deployed in front of the Mathigodu forest office. Similarly, fire lines were drawn across other forest regions in the district, including Kushalnagar and Somwarpet.
