Villagers unite to battle forest fires in Odisha

The crackle of flames and the billowing smoke are all too familiar sights during the dry season in many parts of India. Forest fires, often sparked by human activity, continue to ravage precious ecosystems, threatening both wildlife and local livelihoods. However, amid this grim reality, there is a glimmer of hope – stories of communities coming together to safeguard the forests they depend on.

One such story unfolded in the remote village of Nitigotha, nestled in the Talakainsari gram panchayat of Odisha. This area, already grappling with the environmental impacts of nearby mining operations, faced an additional challenge – the fire that spread to Nitigotha from Salarapentha – a neighbouring village. 

The villagers of Nitigotha, who have a deep reverence for the forests that surround their homes, came together and decided not to let the flames consume their natural heritage. 

Hunting and forest fire

Salarapentha, a neighbouring village that falls under the Mahadeijoda panchayat, has a long-standing tradition of hunting wildlife within the forests. To facilitate this practice, the villagers often deliberately set the forests on fire.

But this time, the fire was about to spread to Nitigotha. When an elderly man spotted the advancing fire, he quickly rallied the women and children of the village to control the flames.

“We couldn’t sit back and watch our forest burn,” recounted Kalyani Thakur, a panchayat resource person of Nitigotha. “This is our lifeline, our source of livelihood and sustenance. We had to do something,” Thakur added.

“When they burn their forest, the fire doesn’t stop at their boundaries,” said Chandrakanta Mahanta, a local forester. “It spreads rapidly, threatening the forests of neighbouring communities like Nitigotha.”

Impact of forest fire 

The villagers of Nitigotha rushed to the forest’s edge, using whatever tools and resources they could find to battle the blaze. Armed with determination and a collective sense of purpose, they cleared away flammable vegetation. They worked to contain the fire, eventually succeeding in preventing it from spreading further into their village.

This was not the first time the people of Nitigotha had faced such a challenge, and it was unlikely to be the last. The village has a long-standing history of safeguarding their forest resources and they were well aware of the devastating consequences of uncontrolled fires.

“Forest fires don’t just destroy the trees and the wildlife; they also make it harder for new growth to take hold,” explained Sakuntala Dehury,the sarpanch of the panchayat. “This, in turn, affects the fertility of the land and the ability of the community to sustain their traditional livelihoods, such as agriculture and the collection of non-timber forest products.”

Increase in human-animal interaction

Indeed, the impact of forest fires extends far beyond the immediate destruction caused by the blazes. These events can have long-lasting repercussions on the local ecosystem, causing a cascading effect on the delicate balance of flora and fauna.

“When the forest is damaged, the animals that rely on it for shelter and sustenance are forced to venture closer to human settlements, leading to increased instances of human-wildlife interaction,” noted Priya Sahoo, a post-graduate student in Zoology who was in the area to work on her final-year dissertation. “This not only puts the villagers at risk but also threatens the survival of these wild creatures, many of which are already under stress due to habitat loss and fragmentation.”

In the case of Nitigotha, the villagers were all too familiar with this dynamic. They had witnessed firsthand how the loss of forest cover, exacerbated by the mining operations in the area, had driven wild elephants and other animals to raid their croplands, putting their livelihoods and even their life in jeopardy.

Towards prevention of forest fire

Recognising the urgent need to address these interrelated challenges, the community of Nitigotha has been working closely with the local authorities and conservation organisations to develop a comprehensive strategy for forest fire prevention and management.

“We’ve been holding regular meetings with the forest ranger from the nearby BJP (forest) range,” said  Jyotirmayee Das, a forest guard. “Together, we’re exploring ways to strengthen our early warning systems, improve firefighting capabilities and engage with our neighbouring villages like Salarapentha to find collaborative solutions.”

One such initiative involves the formation of a multi-stakeholder ‘multi-actor process’ that brings together the pidho (a traditional institution involving a group of villages) leaders, government officials, Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) representatives, civil society organisations and community members. This platform allows for the open exchange of ideas, sharing of data-driven insights and the coordinated implementation of interventions.

“By involving all the key stakeholders, we can develop a more holistic and effective approach to tackling the forest fire challenge,” explained Ashok Dehury, who is one of the leaders of the forest protection committee. “we’re not only focusing on the immediate response but also on long-term preventive measures, such as creating fire-breaks, enhancing community awareness and promoting alternative livelihood options that reduce the villagers’ reliance on forest resources.”

The villagers of Nitigotha have also been proactive in highlighting the forest fire issue within their local Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP), leveraging funding and resources to support their initiatives. The local authorities have recognised their efforts, commending their dedication and offering to reward other villages that follow the example of Nitigotha.

“It’s heartening to see the people of Nitigotha taking such ownership of their forest resources,” said Sahoo. “Their story is a testament to the power of community-led conservation and the importance of empowering local stakeholders to be the stewards of their own environment.”

As the battle against forest fires continues, the people of Nitigotha remain steadfast in their commitment to protecting the natural wealth that sustains their way of life. They are collecting the local wild seeds, which will be used for regeneration of the vegetation in the places affected by the forest fire.

Their story serves as an inspiring model for other communities facing similar challenges, reminding us that with collective action and unwavering resolve, we can safeguard our precious forests for generations to come.

The lead image on top shows residents of Nitigotha village putting out a fire that spread from the neighbouring village of Salarapentha. (Photo by Kalyani Thakur)

Saswatik Tripathy and Kartik Chandra Prusty are senior project manager and senior programme manager, respectively, at Foundation for Ecological Security (FES), Kendujhar.