Forest fires and Wildlife protection

An introduction

The most common hazard in forests is forests fire. Most part of world like North America (California), South America (Brazil Amazon forests), Argentina and Chile Forests, forests in Australia suffered the hazard of wild forest fires in recent times.  Forests fires are as old as the forests themselves. 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. During summer, when there is no rain for months, the forests become littered with dry senescent leaves and twinges, which could burst into flames ignited by the slightest spark. The Himalayan forests, particularly, Garhwal Himalayas have been burning regularly during the last few summers, with colossal loss of vegetation cover of that region.

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Forest fires are caused by Natural causes as well as Man made causes

• Natural causes - 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.

• Man made causes - Fire is caused when a source of fire like naked flame, cigarette or bidi, electric spark or any source of ignition comes into contact with inflammable material. The source in this case are the lightning activities of human beings near forests or inside forest land.

What if problems occurs ?

When trees and other vegetation are incompletely burned, they release black carbon into the air, which can last for centuries on land and even longer in oceans. Now we have the best global picture yet of how much of the stuff is making its way to the sea: around a third of all the black carbon produced by fires.

Fires are a major cause of forest degradation and have wide ranging adverse ecological, economic and social impacts, including:

• loss of valuable timber resources
• degradation of catchment areas
• loss of biodiversity and extinction of plants and animals
• loss of wildlife habitat and depletion of wildlife
• loss of natural regeneration and reduction in forest cover
• global warming
• loss of carbon sink resource and increase in percentage of CO2 in atmosphere
• change in the microclimate of the area with unhealthy living conditions
• soil erosion affecting productivity of soils and production
• ozone layer depletion
• health problems leading to diseases
• 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.

Needs of the fire management

• Prevention of human-caused fires through education and environmental modification. It will include silvicultural activities, engineering 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.
• Prompt detection of fires through a well coordinated network of observation points, efficient ground patrolling, and communication networks. Remote sensing technology is to be given due importance in fire detection. For successful fire management and administration, a National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) and Fire Forecasting System are to be developed in the country.
• Fast initial attack measures.
• Vigorous follow up action.
• Introducing a forest fuel modification system at strategic points.
• Firefighting resources.

Protection of wildlife and forests is an important duty of all human beings. We should use available technology and resources in fighting with the forests fires and must evolve innovative ideas to protect forest vegetation and wildlife.

Activities of Man and the environment

Man in the whole animal kingdom have the presence of intellectual properties and intelligent mind. He discovered wheel, fire, art of producing grains, storage, started rearing domestic animals like dog, cow, ox, camel, horse, made huts and invented things which made ourselves as a self centered modern man. Our Ancestors are monkeys who were dependent on mother nature for food, cloth and habitat, nearly about 5,00,000 million years have been passed of the fact that ancient men were hunting animals for food and gathering fruits in the forest,. But after the discovery of fire the series of invention led many skills, art, devices of modern use, machines etc., we forgot the protection of our mother nature. The activities of human beings are leading to a depletion of natural resources and are creating an imbalance in the environment.

Our life become more comfortable than before it was, but our activities made adverse effect on our environment.

Some of these activities are :

• Cutting of trees has distrusted the rainfall pattern in the world.

• Industrialization on large scale made the quality of air we breathe very poor.

• Uncontrolled growth of human population put heavy pressure on our natural resources.

• Sewage disposal into rivers, ponds, lakes made fresh water polluted and badly effected the ecosystem of water.

• Use of chemical fertilizers in agricultural activities polluted land, ground water quality and our food chain.

• Poisonous fumes due to the burning of fuel from vehicles are harmful for both plants and animals.

• Excessive use of fossil fuel which releases carbon di-oxide contributes to global warming.

• Excessive use of non-biodegradable plastic bags is a threat to the environment.

• Destruction of wildlife and forest land.

• No proper planning for the protection of environment

• Mining activities at large scale have resulted in deforestation, landfall and other disasters.

• Hunting of wild animals is done by hunters for getting things like skin, bones, teeth and flesh have reduced the population of wild animals and disturbed the wildlife which has been resulted in reduction of forest areas.

• The wastes from factories established by human beings pollute land, air, and water which results in destruction of living bodies.

• Use of certain chemicals like chlorophlorocarbons in perfumes, deodorant spray, hairs prays, refrigerators and jet planes made a huge depletion in the ozone layer of atmosphere which protect us from the harmful effects of Ultraviolet rays.

• Activities producing noise is displeasing and disrupts the balance of nature.

It should be understood that when plants in an area are destroyed, the animals that depend upon them are also destroyed. Hunting of animals for bonse, skin, for fun sports is cruelty to them and mother nature. 

If the man continue to kill animals for their selfish needs, a time may come when certain animals would become extinct.

And then, when a living organism becomes extinct, it means that there are no more members of that particular organism on the earth. As a consequence, the food chain will also be affected.

Fight against pollution

We should reduce the use of private vehicles and emphasis should be laid on the discovery of environment friendly fuel to reduce the quantity of gases like carbon di-oxide, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, and sulphur dioxide in the air. It will help in reduction of acid rain that harms historical monuments and living organisms.

Conservation of the environment

It is now become more important to protect the environment and wildlife to save the mother nature. We should avoid the misuse of available gifts of nature.

We should organise awareness and informative programmes towards the protection of endangered species. Human beings need forests for medicines, fruits, wood, and oxygen. Therefore plantation of trees, plants and forest restoration can be done to save the environment.

Avoiding the use of non-biodegradable plastics will restrict the pollution of land, water and air.

Avoiding the wastage of water and smart disposal of sewage should be done to maintain the purity of fresh water. 

Use of public transport system will be a positive step towards pollution control. The scientists should try to discover environment friendly fuel and the entrepreneur should ensure their commercial production and easy availability to save the ecosystem.

(Jatropha - a plant used in production of biodiesel)

Canola, olive oil, palm oil, soyabean and sunflower oil used in the production of bio diesel.

Natural gas could be used as fuel in cooking and transport. Sustainable use of resources to save them for our coming generations.

Human beings should try to control population and protect the depletion of natural resources.

These steps will help in the growth of mother nature and conservation of the environment.

Protect the endangered species , forests and wildlife will make the planet more beautiful and liveable.