Would Odisha’s forest fires be better controlled if local communities were empowered?

Soon, the forest department had to launch the biggest fire-fighting exercise in the State’s history. “In some forest divisions such as Baliguda, Phulbani and Rayagada, the forest department has geo-tagged mohua trees and carried out controlled fires. Forest wisdomActivists also rue that the forest department does not recognise the forest dwellers’ traditional wisdom in detecting forest fires. Indeed, the fires were found to be less intense and better controlled wherever villagers had been given community forest rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA). The forest department is also set to acquire 700 fire blowers in addition to the existing 750.