Amid a sharp rise in forest fires across Odisha, Reliance Foundation has joined hands with the state’s Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Department to strengthen wildfire mitigation efforts. The initiative also involves collaboration with Vana Suraksha Samities (VSS), local communities, and NGO partners.
The partnership aims to enhance awareness, build community capacity, and improve response mechanisms to tackle wildfires more effectively across forest regions. Reliance Foundation and its partners are working closely to empower local groups through training, resource sharing, and field engagement.
A special campaign has been launched from March 8 (World Wildlife Day) and will continue until June 5 (World Environment Day). The drive focuses on educating communities about wildfire risks and safe practices for prevention and management.
To ensure extensive coverage, Reliance Foundation, in association with the Forest Department and NGOs, is conducting multi-location audio conferences to discuss fire preparedness and mitigation techniques. These activities are centered around wildfire-prone districts and prioritize actionable training.
To maximize outreach, advisories are being issued in regional languages, targeting districts such as Rayagada, Mayurbhanj, Kandhamal, and Kalahandi, ensuring vital information reaches even remote villages.
Meanwhile, widespread fires are taking a heavy toll on Odisha’s rich forest ecosystems, particularly threatening medicinal plant species integral to traditional healthcare systems. These plants, crucial for treating a variety of ailments, are increasingly at risk of disappearing due to recurring fire outbreaks.
One of the latest incidents occurred in the hills of Aska, Ganjam district, where a major fire severely damaged rare medicinal vegetation across two key hill tracts.
Forest department records show that Odisha reported over 19,000 forest fire points between January 1 and April 25 this year, highlighting the urgent need for collective action to safeguard its natural heritage.
