The Sundarbans is Bangladesh's shield, standing firm against storms and tidal surges and recovering again and again from the wounds disasters leave. Rich in biodiversity, the forest is a priceless national asset and a mainstay of lives and livelihoods. It recovers quickly from natural disasters, but man-made damage is now its biggest threat.

Destroying the world's largest mangrove forest means pushing ourselves towards destruction. The Sundarbans has burned 24 times in the past two decades, causing extensive damage, all in the eastern Sundarbans. The reports of committees formed after these fires repeat the same recommendations, which makes clear that earlier recommendations are not implemented. Each time, the causes cited are bidis and cigarettes of fishermen and honey collectors (mouals), or torches lit to drive away bees.

Most recently, fire broke out in the Amorbunia area of the Sundarbans on 4 May. The forest department, fire service, police and upazila administration visited the site, and the fire service, navy, air force helicopters, coast guard and the forest department's own fire unit then began fighting it. From the morning of 6 May the combined effort intensified, and by midday the fire service said the fire was fully under control.

The fire service says it was a bush fire, covering about two square kilometres. Because of wildlife and dense forest, breathing normally was hard while fighting it. There was no water source except a distant river, about two and a half kilometres from the fire, and the only access was on foot over difficult terrain.

Records of the Sundarbans East Forest Division show fires in 2002 once at Katka in Chandpai range and twice at Nangli and Mandarbaria in the same range; in 2005 twice in the Pachakoralia and Sutar Khal of Ghutabaria areas; in 2006 five times at Terabeka, Amurbunia, Khurabaria, Pachakoralia and Dhansagar; in 2007 three times at Pachakoralia, Nangli and Dumuria; in 2010 once at Gulishakhali; in 2011 twice at Nangli; in 2014 once at Gulishakhali; in 2016 three times at Nangli, Pachakoralia and Tulatala; and in 2017 at Madrasarchila.

People involved say damage to wildlife and the environment from the fires is only estimated, so the true picture of losses has not emerged. Analysis of the incident reports shows that most fires started through the carelessness of fishermen and honey collectors, from their bidis and cigarettes or torches lit to drive away bees.

Experts and forest officials call 24 fires in two decades "alarming" and a threat. The latest fire affected 7.98 acres of forest and damaged five and a half acres.

The question is how capable Bangladesh would be of controlling a wildfire-like blaze, as in other countries. The search for an answer shows that Bangladesh lacks the capacity to control such a fire easily.

A wildfire is an uncontrolled fire in forest or rural woodland. It can break out anywhere wooded in hot weather, usually when a source of fire meets flammable material in intense heat with enough oxygen, and it is somewhat more common in hilly areas. On 8 August last year a devastating wildfire on Maui island in Hawaii, United States, completely destroyed a large part of Maui's historic town of Lahaina and killed more than a hundred people.

Countries around the world have "expert firefighter teams" and special "firefighter helicopters" to control wildfires. These helicopters can pour water very close to the fire without creating wind, so there is no risk of the fire spreading.

Fire Service and Civil Defence says that, like other countries, Bangladesh's fire service has modern equipment for fighting fires, but it lacks experience and equipment for wildfire-like fires. Other countries have firefighting helicopters, which Bangladesh does not, and it also has no special fire service team for forest fires.

Major (retd) A K M Shakil Newaz, former director (operation and maintenance) of the fire service, told Jagonews24: "The fire service's skills in controlling Sundarbans fires must be improved. Developed countries train for such fires, and we must train for the Sundarbans too. Then the fire cannot spread. Bush firefighting skills need to be raised. Those who fight fires there must be experienced in jungle firefighting, and their station should be in the forest."

Professor Dr Md Wasiul Islam of the Forestry and Wood Technology Discipline at Khulna University told Jagonews24: "We are not as developed as Australia, Europe or America. Special helicopters need money and training. But with a firefighting helicopter, fires could be controlled quickly."

Asked why the Sundarbans has burned 24 times, he said such fires can recur without awareness and can start unintentionally or intentionally. Bawalis and honey collectors need to be careful after using fire and take precautions in every case. Especially in the dry season, the forest department can warn them verbally and in writing, and legal action must be taken against those involved, he said.

Dr Abu Naser Mohsin Hossain, Khulna divisional forest officer (West Forest Division), told Jagonews24: "Canals must be dug for the tides. But the mistake the Water Development Board makes is to dig canals and dump the soil on both banks. The soil must not be put on the banks; it must be dumped elsewhere."

"North-south canals must be dug in the Sundarbans. Cutting east-west canals is no use, because all the rivers of the Sundarbans flow north-south and the tide rises from the north-south direction. The mouths of all canals must be opened. April and May are the most sensitive months, and in these two months especially, training must be arranged every week in five areas."

Kazi Muhammad Nurul Karim, Khulna divisional forest officer (East Forest Division), told Jagonews24: "Actually, putting out fires with helicopters is not very useful. Sundarbans fires usually stay on the ground because fallen leaves and creepers build up to about 7-8 inches. So applying water directly to the ground can bring the fire under control very quickly."

Senior Staff Officer Md Shahjahan Sikder, officer-in-charge of the Fire Service and Civil Defence media cell, told Jagonews24: "Australia's bush fire took 30-35 days to put out. Australia is a developed country with modern technology. If it takes that long there, it will take a long time in Bangladesh too, because firefighting itself is hard work."

"Bangladesh has the modern equipment developed countries have for firefighting. All it lacks is bush fire firefighting helicopters and any road to carry equipment when fire breaks out in a place like the Sundarbans."

Noting that an ordinary helicopter is not a firefighting helicopter, he said: "The downdraught of an ordinary helicopter goes straight down. In a firefighting helicopter it goes horizontally to both sides instead, so the wind does not spread the fire further. When a helicopter lands on a playground or in a village, lots of dirt flies up. With a supply of oxygen, a fire risks growing. So air force helicopters spray water from at least 40 feet up. A firefighting helicopter could spray from lower. For bush fires, the helicopter is the key."

Brigadier General (retd) Ali Ahmed Khan, former director general of the fire service, told Jagonews24: "A modern fire brigade certainly needs firefighting helicopters. Forest fires cannot be put out without helicopters. A specialised firefighting team could also be formed for the Sundarbans. We don't even have an academy for special firefighting, which is urgent."

Md Ziaul Haque, additional secretary (fire wing) of the Security Services Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs, told Jagonews24: "If a proposal on firefighting helicopters comes from the fire service, it will be considered."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.