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INTRODUCTION
o The most common hazard in forests is forests fire. They

pose a threat not only to the forest wealth but also to the
entire regime to fauna and flora seriously disturbing the
bio-diversity and the ecology and environment of a
.
region.
o During summer, when there is no rain
forests for months,
become the dry senescent leaves and
littered with
twinges, which could burst into flames ignited by the
slightest spark.
o Forest fire causes imbalances in
nature and endangers
biodiversity by reducing faunal and floral wealth.
Traditional methods of fire prevention are not proving
effective and it is now essential to raise public awareness on
the matter, particularly among those people who live
close to or in forested areas.
CAUSES OF FOREST
FIRE
o Causes of forest fires can be divided into two broad
categories: environmental (which are beyond control)
and human related (which are controllable).
o ENVIRONMENTAL
» Many forest fires start from natural causes such as
lightning which set trees on fire. However, rain
extinguishes such fires without causing much
damage.
» High atmospheric temperatures and dryness (low

humidity) offer favorable circumstance for a fire to start.
causes
Environmental
are largely related to
climatic conditions such as temperature, wind
speed and direction, level of moisture in soil and
atmosphere and duration of dry spells.
Other natural causes are the friction of bamboos
swaying due to high wind velocity and rolling
stones that result in sparks setting off fires in highly
inflammable leaf litter on the forest floor.
o HUMAN RELATED
Fire is caused when a source of fire like naked flame,
cigarette, electric spark or any source of
ignition comes into contact with inflammable material.
Human related causes result from human activity as
well as methods of forest management. These can
be intentional or unintentional, for example:
o graziers and gatherers of various forest products
starting small fires to obtain good grazing grass as
well as to facilitate gathering of minor forest produce.
o the centuries old practice of shifting cultivation
(especially in the North-Eastern region of India and
inparts of the States of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh).
o the use of fires by villagers to ward off wild animals
o fires lit intentionally by people living around forests
for recreation
o The causes of forest fire have been
increasing rapidly. The problem has been and
accentuated by the growing human
cattle population. People enter forests
ever more frequently
to graze cattle, collect fuelwood, timber and
other minorforest produce. It has been
estimated that 90°/o of forest fires in
India are man-made
TYPES OF FOREST FIRE
o There are two types of forest fire i) Surface Fire and
ii) Crown Fire .
SURFACE FIRE
o A forest burn primarily as a
firefire,
surface mayspreading along the ground
as the surface litter (senescent leaves and
twigs and dry grasses etc) on the forest
floor and is engulfed by the spreading
flames.
CROWN FIRE
o The other type of forest fire is a
crown fire in which the crown
of trees and shrubs burn, often
sustained by a surface fire. A
crown fire is particularly very
dangerous in a coniferous
forest because resinous
material given off burning logs
burn furiously. On hill slopes, if
the fire starts downhill, it
spreads up fast as heated air
adjacent to a slope tends to
flow up the slope spreading
flames along with it. If the fire
starts uphill, there is
likelihood of less it
downwards. spreading
EFFECT OF FOREST FIRE
o loss of valuable timber resources o degradation of
catchment areas
o loss of biodiversity and extinction of plants
and animals
o loss of wildlife habitat and depletion of wildlife
o loss of natural regeneration and reduction
in forest cover
o global warming
o loss of carbon sink resource and
increase in percentage of C02 in atmosphere
o change in the microclimate of the area with unhealthy
living conditions
o soil erosion affecting productivity of soils and
production
o ozone layer depletion
o health problems leading to diseases
o loss of livelihood for tribal people and the
rural poor, as approximately 300 million
people are directly dependent upon collection of
non-timber forest products from forest
areas for their livelihood.
THE NEEDS OF THE FIRE
MANAGEMENT
oThe incidence of forest fires in the
country is on the increase and more
area is burned each year. The major
cause of this failure is the
piecemeal approach to the problem.
oBoth the national focus and the
technical resources required for
sustaining a systematic forest fire
management programme are lacking in
funding, the country.
human Important
resource forest
development, firefire
research, management
fire elementsand
management, like strategic
extension fire
programmes arecentres, coordination among Ministries,
m 1ss 1ng.
• •
o Taking into consideration the serious nature of the
problem, it is necessary to make some major
improvements in the forest fire management strategy
for the country.
o The Ministry of Environment and Forests,
Government of India, has prepared a National Master
Plan for Forest Fire Control. This plan proposes to
introduce a well-coordi nated and integrated fire
management programme that includes the following
components:
Prevention of human-caused fires through education and
environmental modification. will include silvicultural
activities, engineering
It works, people participation, and
education and enforcement. It is proposed that more
emphasis be given to people participation through Joint
Forest Fire Management for fire prevention.
o Prompt detection of fires through a
coordinated network of observation well
efficient ground patrolling, points,
communication networks. Remote and
sensin
technology is to be given due importance in
fire detection. For successful g fire
management and administration, a National
Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) and
Fire Forecasting System are to be developed in
the country.
o Fast initial attack measures.
o Vigorous follow up action
o Introducing a forest fuel modification system
at strategic points.
o Firefighting
resources.
Each of the above components plays an
important role in the success of the entire
system of fire management. Special
emphasis is to be given to research, training,
and development
CASE STUDY
THE GREAT CHICAGO FIRE & PESHTIGO FIRE
o The Great Chicago Fire was a
conflagration that
from
burnedOctober 8, October
to 10,1871, killing hundreds
and destroying about 3.3
square miles (9 km2) in
Chicago.
o Though the fire was one of
the largest U.S. disasters of
the 19th century, the
rebuilding that began helped
develop Chicago as one of
the most populous and
economically important
American cities.
o The traditional account of the origin of the fire is that it
was started by a cow kicking over a lantern in the
barn , but the official report could not determine the
exact cause.
o The fire's spread was aided by the city's use of wood as
the predominant building material, a drought prior to
the fire, and strong winds from the southwest that
carried flying embers toward the heart of the city.
More than % of the structures in Chicago at the time of
the fire were made entirely of wood.
o After two days of the fire burning out of control, rain
helped douse the remaining fire. City officials
estimated that more than 300 people died in the fire
and more than 100,000 were left homeless.
1 j IPt stf

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INTRODUCTION

o The most common hazard in forests is forests fire. They

» High atmospheric temperatures and dryness (low

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