ROURKELA: Every summer, when the forests of Ujjalpur range in Sundargarh begin to crackle under an unforgiving sun and carpets of dry leaves wait for a spark, one man readies himself for war. Not with machines or protective gear but with grit, experience and an unceasing love for the forests.
For 52-year-old Debanand Mahaling, the last 33 summers have meant only one thing - fighting forest fire. A resident of the forest-fringed Sagarpali hamlet under Mangaspur village in Tangarpali block, about 130 km from Rourkela, Debanand has spent more than three decades standing between raging flames and the forests he calls home. While others seek safety when fire sweeps across the hills, he runs towards it.
For villagers, he is not merely an environment warrior. He is the forest’s first responder and its unofficial guardian. Forest fires are a recurring menace in this part of western Odisha, triggered by natural, accidental and human causes. Every blaze threatens not just trees but entire ecosystems, forcing birds from nests and animals from habitats built over generations. For Debanand, the loss is personal.
“These fires are not just environmental disasters. They are personal battles for me. Every burning tree, every fleeing animal and every charred patch of forest strengthens my resolve to protect nature,” he says.
His journey began in 1993 after he returned home following completion of his ITI course in Rourkela and joined his family’s farming activities. Around the same time, senior volunteer Santosh Patel introduced him to the Nehru Yuva Kendra movement, an experience that shaped his commitment to community service and conservation. His work prompted the Forest department to engage him as a watcher in 2012.
What started with plantation drives and occasional firefighting gradually became a mission. Debanand mobilised 24 village youths to form a community forest fire response team. The moment smoke rises above the hills, the team heads out carrying little more than green branches, spades and fire beaters, often trekking across rugged terrain in slippers.
Their work extends beyond Sagarpali to villages spread across Tangarpali and neighbouring Lefripada block. Over the years, they have prevented fires from spreading to forests, farmlands and community lands, saving trees, wildlife habitats and livelihoods. Innovation also found its way into his efforts. In 2017, he began using an agricultural sprayer to fight flames with water. Since 2021, the Sundargarh Forest Division has been providing a blower to assist him and his team of volunteers.
The work, however, extracts a heavy price. Long hours amid searing heat and thick smoke often leave him battling dehydration, exhaustion and respiratory distress. Yet every recovery marks the beginning of another season of service.
Debanand was among those who helped establish the Sagarpali Van Suraksha Samiti in 1993-94 and continues to lead conservation efforts under the Joint Forest Management programme. The once-barren Landa Pahar and adjoining reserve forests have since transformed into thriving green landscapes through years of community protection and natural regeneration.
The work earned the village committee the Biju Patnaik Best Van Surakhya Samiti Award in 2024, while Debanand himself received the Prakruti Mitra Puraskar and Sabuja Bandhu Puraskar. Earlier, in 2012, the Forest department engaged him as a forest watcher in recognition of his efforts.
But accolades have never been the wish. “My greatest reward is seeing the forests survive another summer, hearing birds return after the rains and knowing future generations will inherit a healthier environment,” he says.
