Forest Fires

10/7/2012

Why look at forest fires?

Fire is a significant and continuous factor in the forests ecology and plays a central role in deforestation in tropical and subtropical regions. Fires can drastically change the vegetation pattern of large areas within a short period of time
About half of Indias forests (67.5 M ha) are prone to forest fire and about a tenth of the forest area is affected by frequent fires. Forest fires impact 3.7 million ha. each year. The National Forest Policy (1988) emphasizes the adoption of improved and modern management practices to deal with forest fires. The Disaster Management Act (2005) recognizes forest fires as a disaster

Importance of natural vegetation and forests : Forest constitute one of the most important basic natural resources of the country. Ecological view : Forests help in occurrence of rainfall, promote soil conservation in catchment areas, regulate runoff, improve moisture holding capacity of the soils and maintain ecological balance.

Point of economy :
Forest lands being utilized as grazing grounds for livestock. Great demand for timber which resulted into development of commercial forestry. Many products like charcoal wood, pulp and matchwood, canes, rose wood, sandal wood, lac, resins, honey, herb, fruits, dyes, etc are obtained from forest which highly commercial value both conservation and development of forest resource is as important as agriculture and industry.

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VEGETATION TYPE MAP OF INDIA

Forest Cover Temperate Conifer Forest Temperate Broad Leaved Forest Temperate Mixed Forest Tropical Evergreen Forest Tropical Semi evergreen Forest Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest Tropical Thorn Forest Sub Tropical Forest Conifer Forest Sub Alpine Forest Mangrove Forest Degraded Forest Abandoned Jhum Land Cover Alpine Meadows Grasslands Scrub/Shrub Current Jhum Coral Reefs Plantations Orchards Valley Agriculture Irrigated/ Rainfed Agriculture Fallow Land Barren Land Sand Dunes Mud Flats Swamps Wet Pans Dry Pans Water Body Settlement Other Classes Snow Cloud Shadow

What is Forest Fires ? It is uncontrolled fire occurring in wild land areas.

FOREST FIRES
Present Scenario
Major cause of degradation of Indian Forests > 50% Forest Area fire prone (FSI 1997) Prone to severe fire damage: 6% of the forests Very heavy : 8%, Heavy : 14% and

Frequent fire damages : 5.6%

FOREST FIRES
Present Scenario
Fire season : December to mid June Geographic area of the country : 328.73 million ha Total forest area of country : 69 million ha As per FSI : 1.45 million ha annually affected by fire As per MoEF, GoI : 3.73 million ha annually affected by fire

Forest Fires

FOREST FIRES
CLASSIFICATION
ON BASIS OF CAUSATIVE FACTORS:

NATURAL ACCIDENTAL INTENTIONAL

Causes of forest fire

Natural Causes Manmade reasons

FOREST FIRES
Causes
Natural
Lightning Volcano eruption

FOREST FIRES
Causes
Accidental
Labourers engaged in timber operation, construction of road Kindling a fire without permission In order to warm themselves To cook food Leaving a fire without completely

extinguishing it.

FOREST FIRES
Causes
Accidental
Burning bark to destroy beetles. Throwing of torchwood by villagers Throwing of cigarette or coal pieces. Burning the field or grass lands adjacent to forest Accidental spread of fire in the forest while

burning fire lines departmentally.

FOREST FIRES
Causes
Intentional
Burning of the undergrowth and grass to

collect MFP.
Charring the stumps for making charcoal.

Scaring away wild animals from near villages

Inducing new shoots of grass in summer by

burning dry grass grazing.

CLASSIFICATION
ON THE BASIS OF PLACE OF ACTION :

Creeping fire : Spreading slowly over the ground with low flame - No ground cover or undergrowth

Ground fire :

Burns the ground cover - Burns organic material of forest floor and underlying soil

CLASSIFICATION

Surface fire : Burns the ground cover and also undergrowth

- Burns surface litter loose debris and small vegetation

Fire travels above the ground surface such as grasses/low shrubs/forest litter
Flame ht. 0.2 - 3m

Crown fire :

Spreads through the crown of trees

Consumes all or part of upper branches and foliage

Forest Fire Zonation

A Zone
Zone to be highly protected having high management value like prime habitats, areas of high bio diversity, plantation areas etc. (All precautionary measures to avoid forest fire)

B Zone
Where fire can be controlled as per the locality specificity

C Zone
Where fire cannot be controlled/Cliff etc.

HOW FOREST FIRES IGNITE & BURN

Fire Triangle

Fuel

Three Principal Environmental Elements Affecting Wildland Fire Behavior

Fuels Weather
Topography

Fuel Type Fuel Moisture Size and Shape Fuel Loading Horizontal Continuity Vertical Arrangement

Fuel Types
Grass Shrub Timber litter Logging Slash

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Categories of Fuels
Light fuels:
Grass, Leaves, Shrubs

Heavy fuels:
Limbs, Logs, Stumps

 Oxygen and fuel combine in presence of heat

to create forest fire.

Convection motion of air or fluid : heats

the fuel

Radiation transmits heat by means of rays

from a heat source Fire in forests occurs by both convection as

well as radiation

FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR FIRE

Weather Temperature Wind

Humidity

FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR FIRE

Inflammable material
Grass, dry leaves, dry fallen wood

Early burning
Green grass cover before fire environment

Departmental operation during winters

Resin tapping

Sawn timber in coniferous forest

Surface Fuels
All materials lying on or immediately above the ground including needles or leaves, grass, downed logs, stumps, large limbs and low shrubs.

All green and dead materials located in the upper forest canopy including tree branches and crowns, snags, moss, and high shrubs.

Aerial Fuels

FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR FIRE

Topography : Altitude and aspect
S & SW aspect Hotter and drier Lower altitude Spreads fast, traveling up on hill slope Chir forest and fir forest risk of fire

Topography
Aspect - direction a slope faces Slope - Steepness. Position of Fire - Top, middle, or bottom of slope. Shape of Country - Narrow canyons & box canyons. Elevation - Relates to curing of fuels, precipitation, length of fire season, etc.

Aspect

Topography
Aspect - direction a slope faces Slope - Steepness. Position of Fire - Top, middle, or bottom of slope. Shape of Country - Narrow canyons & box canyons. Elevation - Relates to curing of fuels, precipitation, length of fire season, etc.

Steep Slopes Cause Rapid Fire Spread

Topography
Aspect - direction a slope faces Slope - Steepness. Position of Fire - Top, middle, or bottom of slope. Shape of Country - Narrow canyons & box canyons. Elevation - Relates to curing of fuels, precipitation, length of fire season, etc.

Position of Fire on Slope

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Year

Area No of affected incidents by fire(ha)

Loss due to fire

Casualties Types of fire Reasons (if any)

2000-1 680
2001-2 33 2002-3 45 2003-4 37 2004-5 377 2005-6 1136

53
9 14 18 46 106

Most of the cases are of ground fire due to which ground flora, natural regeneration, plantations/sapli ng and some of the trees including the wildlife habitat has been damaged and affected.

nil
nil nil nil nil

10/7/2012

Manmade/in For control cidental and immediate action, W/T control room in head office and all the districts has been made operationa l round the clock and proper recording of data has been 47 taken up.

FOREST FIRES
Damage
1. Damage to the trees. 2. Damage to regeneration.

3. Damage to soil.
4. Damage to wild animals.

5. Damage to Productive/protective
power of the forests.

6. Recreational loss.

FOREST FIRES
Damage to Trees
It varies with species, age, conditions and season. Hard bark or cortex bark less effected Broad leaved trees less effected than conifers. Young tree less height and less dia more effected Old, dead, hollow more damaged Burning of cambium affects the growth of plant.

FOREST FIRES
Damage to Regeneration
Surface or ground fire
completely wiped out

Artificial regeneration
wastage of money also

Effect on stand composition

Disturbing the composition of growing stock

and existing stand,

Susceptible to damages by Insects and

Diseases

FOREST FIRES
Damage to soil
Exposed to sun, wind, rain Destruction of organic matter Nitrogen content Soil compact and impervious
Loss of grazing value

FOREST FIRES MANAGEMENT

Prevention: Detection : Suppression :
Training of staff & villagers Watch tower, modern Tech.
JFM, Controlled Fire

FOREST FIRES
Preventive Measures
Indirect
Goodwill of people

Education
No permission for Collection of FPs

during summers.
Denial of certain benefits in RFs.

Punishment/Rewards.

Forest Fires
Preventive Measures
Direct
Training of staff Clearing Camp site wards & paths Early burning Slash disposal in hill forests Control burning in resin tapping areas Raising fire breaking green belts

Clearance of firelines

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FOREST FIRES

Measures to Control Fire

Measures to Suppress fires
Pre-Suppression Suppression Post Suppression

FOREST FIRES
Measures to extinguish/Suppress fire
Pre Suppression
Preparatory activities ( Men, Materials, Machine)
Training & Co-operation

Provision & Maintenance of equipment

Fire danger measurement & forecasting Detection Communication & Transport Firebreaks & firelines

FOREST FIRES
Suppression
By Water

By Earth
By Beating

By clean fire line

FOREST FIRES
Post Suppression Phase
Area Survey, Mapping of the area and damage assessment
Class A Forests natural regeneration areas and manmade plantation of valuable species Class B Forests forest of valuable species Class C Forests miscellaneous forests and open mixed degraded forests

PREVENTION AND CONTROL STRATEGIES IN INDIA

Forestry Concurrent list Forest Fire Prevention Forest Protection Division of MoEF, GoI
GoI proposes to effectively monitor forest fire incidences in the country in order to create sound data base and quick detection infrastructure Proposed to set up a National Institute of Forest Fire Management for proper research, extension of technology and training of personnel

PREVENTION AND CONTROL STRATEGIES IN INDIA

Forests managed through well prepared Working Plans
Important component of W.P. Prescriptions relate to employing traditional practices like creation and maintenance of firelines, fire tracks, control

burning, engaging fire watchers during fire seasons etc.

Proved quite effective in controlling forest fires in the country initially Nowadays population pressure, resultant conflicts and resource hunger

Difficult to check forest fires through these traditional methods

PREVENTION AND CONTROL STRATEGIES IN INDIA

Conflict between Forest Department and local

villagers and activists

Forest officials accuse, villagers deliberately set

fires in the forests for grazing, FP Collection.

Local villagers accuse, forest authorities allow

fires to get out of control to misuse the funds

for afforestation.

Prevention and Control Strategies in India

National Forest Policy, 1988
Lays emphasis on protection of forest against encroachment, fire and grazing. It states the

incidence of forest fires in the country is high. Standing trees and fodder are destroyed on a large scale and natural regeneration annihilated by such fires. Special precautions should be taken during the fire season. Improved and modern management practices should be adopted to deal with forest fire.

PREVENTION AND CONTROL STRATEGIES IN INDIA Forest Fire Prevention

Forests Concurrent list
Issues related to policy planning and finance GoI Field Administration SFD

Direct responsibility of fire prevention and control

measures At MoEF Forest Fire Prevention looked after by FPD headed by IG (FPD) FF Plan scheme Modern Forest Fire Control Methods

Under this Scheme MoEF provided financial assistance

for fire prevention and control to SFDs

PREVENTION AND CONTROL STRATEGIES IN INDIA

More biotic pressure increase fire incidences

resulting in poor regeneration

Govt realised to implement a modern forest fire regime in the country UNDP Project (1985-90) to address the problem of resource damage from uncontrolled forest fires Project primarily focused on involving a systematic approach to deal with forest fire damages

PREVENTION AND CONTROL STRATEGIES IN INDIA

Pilot project U.P. and Maharashtra

Two states with different ecological and

physical characteristics good opportunity to

try the technologies of Forest Fire Prevention

and Control

Excellent results fires incidents could be

drastically reduced (by 90% in some selected

areas)

PREVENTION AND CONTROL STRATEGIES IN INDIA Forest Prevention follow up of UNDP Project
8th plan period (92-93) in 11 States where major forest fires occur Project covers 60% of the forest area Financial assistance to SFDs for procurement of hand tools, fire

Modern Forest Fire Control Methods (MFFCM) - Launched during

resistance clothes, FF equipments, wireless sets, construction of

watch towers, fire finders, creation of fire link

Also for research, training and publicity on fire fighting

Air operation wing maintained under GoI to introduce latest fire

fighting techniques including use of Helicopters and Aircrafts

PREVENTION AND CONTROL STRATEGIES IN INDIA

Aircraft used extensively in the states of Haryana, H.P., U.P., M.P., Rajasthan, Punjab and Delhi Cost involvements in Aircraft quite high and Govt. of India realised modern forest fire fighting methods alone wont suffice Aircraft closed as GoI felt to strengthen and follow the traditional cost effective methods

PREVENTION AND CONTROL STRATEGIES IN INDIA

Forest Fire Prevention

Introduced a component of close monitoring

of forest fires for creation of data base for

generating more information on forest fires for better planning and management Corroborated by an impact assessment study by independent agency Traditional methods cost effective and better suited in Indian conditions

Combination of both is better

PREVENTION AND CONTROL STRATEGIES IN INDIA

Active involvement of the people in prevention and control of forest fire is necessary Involved VFPC people under JFM to invoke their interest and enlist their support for fire prevention

and fire fighting operation

A national master plan for forest fire control prepared with an outlay of Rs 600 Crores Scheme now called as Forest Fire Control and Management Being implemented in all states

NATIONAL FOREST FIRE GUIDELINES 2000

GENERAL MEASURES
Identification and mapping of all fire prone areas Compilation and analysis of data-base on forest fire damage Development and installation of Fire Danger Rating System and Fire Forecasting System

Item of forest protection to be treated as a plan item

Professional approach by the forest department staff

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NATIONAL FOREST FIRE GUIDELINES 2000

SPECIFIC MEASURES Preventive measures to be taken before the beginning of fire

season
Nodal officer in each state A crisis management group to be constituted at the state headquarters to closely monitor the situation, co-ordinate various preventive measures and arrange adequate

enforcement of men and material in case of any eventuality

Communication network to be set up for quick flow of

information and movement of material and men to fire site

NATIONAL FOREST FIRE GUIDELINES 2000

JFM Committees and Forest Protection Committees - actively involved in prevention and control of forest fires.

The communities and government staff to be regularly trained

for prevention and control of forest fires Efforts to be made to create public awareness against ill effects of forest fires. A fire prevention week to be celebrated to create mass awareness LEGAL MEASURES The legal provisions for fire prevention and control be

implemented forcefully

COIMBATORE CHARTER, JAN 2001

State and UTs - map forest fire prone areas

Ensure funds spent on identified areas

Implement NFFPC Guidelines, 2000 JFMC assigned specific roles for forest fire

prevention and control

Organized FFP week every year

Forest Fires & Biomass Burning

RS for identifying, locating, monitoring extent of fires (thermal, smoke and burnt scar) FSI (MODIS Rapid Response) and NRSC (MODIS, OLS with burnt area) provide near realtime to Forest Dept about fires

NATIONAL MASTER PLAN FOR FOREST FIRE CONTROL

MoEF prepared this plan covering important

forest fire management elements

Strategic fire plans

Coordination among departments

Funding

HRD
Fire Research

Fire Management & Extension Programmes

NATIONAL MASTER PLAN FOR FOREST FIRE CONTROL

Well coordinated and integrated fire management Plan
Prevention of fire caused by man through education and environmental modification More emphasis on people participation through JFFM

preventing forest fires

Detection of forest fire in time through a well coordinated network of observation points, efficient ground patrolling,

communication network emphasis to remote sensing

National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) to be developed Special emphasis on Research, Training & Development

Subsequent Modifications
Funds being provided to the states under State Sector for
Building up a strong communication network and infrastructure
Wireless
Effective transportation

Improved fire resistant clothing

Fire finders Watch towers

Subsequent Modifications
Fire tender/tractor trolley mounted with water tanker

Back pack pumps

Fire fighting equipment Fire line creation and maintenance Creation of water harvesting structures Fire management plans

Fire fighting cells

Any other technological innovation Assistance to JFM Committees Awareness, training and research

Modifications
A strong Central Sector Component in the Scheme Fund being provided to the Forest Survey of India Development of Early Warning System for forest fires Mapping of forest fire affected areas Development at a fire danger rating system Monitoring the impact of the scheme and its evaluation

SCHEME FOR ESTABLISHING NATIONAL GEOINFORMATICS CENTRE FOR FOREST FIRE MONITORING AT FSI, DEHRADUN
MoEF sanctioned scheme under CSS Forest Fire Control & Management Scheme for developing An Early Warning System

for Detection of Forest Fires

Scheme envisages establishing an earth Station for a receiving NOAA AVHRR satellite data to detect forest fires

Scheme for Establishing National GeoInformatics Centre for Forest Fire Monitoring at FSI, Dehradun Activities include detection & monitoring on forest fire in a real time
Burnt area mapping to assess damage caused by forest fires using satellite data Developing National Forest Fire Danger

Rating System
Impact Studies