Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Monday deployed ODRAF teams in at least seven locations to assist frontline staff in tackling forest fire incidents in sensitive wildlife divisions of the state.
According to official sources, seven ODRAF teams are being deployed in Baliguda, Phulbani, Rayagada, Bonai, Kalahandi South, Similipal South and Parlakhemundi to deal with the wildfire incidents amid the prevailing heatwave situation in the state.
The arrangements were made after the Forest department gave a requisition to the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) for deployment of the ODRAF units in seven divisions that have recorded a surge in fire incidents in the last few days.
Following approval by the office of the SRC, seven ODRAF teams were deputed to report before the DFOs of the respective forest divisions for forest fire response duty. The teams have been directed to carry all the equipment required for forest fire response along with PPE kit.
Earlier, a 26-member ODRAF team had already been deployed in Dukura range of Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) following detection of multiple wildfire points, sources said.
More units have now been deployed at seven other locations. These divisions have recorded more than 50 fire points in the last few days. The ODRAF units will support the forest protection squads, forest guards and other frontline staff in dealing with the wildfire crisis. They will be stationed at those places till the situation improves.
The state government had deployed ODRAF units in at least 11 divisions during peak forest fire season last year.
As per reports, the STR alone had reported a total of 117 fire points till Saturday and the number jumped to 149 on Sunday. Forest department officials said the figure is lower than previous years and all fire points have been effectively attended by the forest protection squads and other field staff.
Over 1,000 frontline workers including fire protection squad members and forest guards are patrolling the tiger reserve to check incidents of wildfire, they said.