The Fire Prevention Week 2020 to be observed during 10th to 15th of February was inaugurated at Lawngtlai DC Conference Hall by Additional Deputy Commissioner Pu K. Laltlawmlova, MCS, today.

Pu K. Laltlawmlova stressed on the importance of fire prevention to tackle global warming and deforestation. Public support is needed by the government and through such cooperation only the policy of the government in preventing fire will be successful, he said.

The function was chaired by District Council Conservator of Forests, LADC Pu K. Lalromawia. Deputy Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Pu C. Lalthankima led the gathering in administering an oath to protect and preserve forests and wildlife and to prevent fire.

Fire Prevention Week is observed in Mizoram since AD 2000 and this year marks its 21st year. District level and village level fire prevention award is given away every year since 2009 and Lawngtlai District since secured the first prize in 2010 & 2015, second prize in 2019 and third prize in 2014.

Since 2015, Forest Survey of India (FSI) has been sending out fire alert by surveilling forest fires through satellite. During the five years of 2015-2019, it recorded 13913 forest fires among which 13132 were jhum burning and 480 were fires other than jhum burning.

In 2015 itself, there were 2469 fire outbreaks in Mizoram comprising 2351 jhum burning and 118 other fires. There has been a decline every year since, resulting to a total outbreak of 1452 only in which 1357 were jhum burning and 12 were others in 2019 as compared to a total of 2096 in 2018 in which 1860 jhum burning and 20 were caused by other factors.