'Fire Warrior' drive to curb forest fire in J'khand

IN a bid to curb forest fires across the state, forest officials are set to launch a new community-driven initiative to achieve zero fire cases.

- MUKESH RANJAN @Ranchi

As part of the campaign, nearly 28,000 villagers have been enlisted as “Fire Warriors” and connected through WhatsApp groups to enable swift reporting and coordinated response. The forest department plans to expand this grassroots network to 50,000 participants.

Sources said the focus this year is on strengthening community participation, with villagers to be trained in fire prevention and firefighting techniques. Selected members will be groomed as master trainers to widen outreach. Forest areas remain vulnerable to fires from February until the onset of the monsoon, and special vigilance will be maintained during this period. The department will coordinate with the Government of India, the Disaster Management Department and local communities.