The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Fire tracing begins in district as autumn sets in

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Monday, Jan 14, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Fire tracing begins in district as autumn sets in

S. Harpal Singh

Normally fire tracing is taken up by January-end

Dry days:Adilabad forest appears dried up because of the early arrival of autumn.

ADILABAD: Leaf shedding began in early December in forests of Adilabad signalling arrival of autumn in forests of Adilabad district at least one month ahead of its normal schedule. Leaf shedding in this deciduous forest is attributed to moisture stress that in turn is attributed to deficit rainfall last monsoon.

The golden yellow of dried leaves dominates almost the entire extent of forests in the district, especially the teak major woods.

The early autumn has also made the forest department take up early fire tracing operations in the forest that are dried up and are in the process of drying up fast. Normally fire tracing or fire line operation is taken up in the latter half of January.

“By burning the fallen dried leaves in forest under controlled conditions as part of the fire trace operations, we prevent any accidental burning of the forest. We cannot allow wild fires because of the destructions they cause. We have already finished three fire line operations because of early leaf shedding,” explained Adilabad Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) T.P. Thimma Reddy.

Under the fire tracing operations, dried leaves are set on fire after gathering them in trenches wherever those are available or a 2 to 3 metre line is cleared amid fallen dried leaves to curb spreading of the fire.

The entire teak ranges spread in forests of Kadem-Khanapur, Vaipet, Sirichelma, Utnoor etc sport a dried look. Likewise, bamboo forests in Asifabad-Kagaznagar-Bellampalli forests too have dried up. Teak minor forests like those in Boath, Neredigonda range and those near the Kuntala waterfalls still retain some greenery because of the evergreen trees.

“Early leaf shedding has been observed even in the ever green rain trees in the forests here. Lack of moisture in the ground is the main reason why trees shed their leaves. Early autumn does not have any significant effect on the eco system but it means early work initiation for us,” quipped Mr. Thimma Reddy.

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