The forest department has hired 700 volunteers who are called fire watchers - they not only keep a close watch on fire approaching habitation but also help douse them.
At the Parwanoo fire station in Himachal Pradesh, it has been a tough week for fire fighters. The task of dousing fires raging in the forests is a daunting one and full of risk.
Balkishan Thakur, one of the leading firemen who been in service for over two decades, says dousing forest fires remains a tricky business.
"There is a lot of risk to life when it comes to tackling forest fire because of the wind... fire changes its direction in no time... but we don't take it as any threat... it's our job," says Mr Thakur.
When it comes to difficult terrain, the job gets tougher. Just a bunch of bushes in bare hands is their weapon to take on the raging fire. Fortunately, there's been no mishap with the fire fighters so far.
The Chief Fire Officer of Himachal Pradesh, JC Sharma, says, "Forest fires on hills are a tough task because of the terrain... we cannot reach to the fire location and also the extent of fire is huge which cannot be matched with our limited strength, so we need the help of forest department."
The forest department has hired 700 volunteers who are called fire watchers - they not only keep a close watch on fire approaching habitation but also help douse them. Without any protective gear, these gritty men have to negotiate with life threatening flames and choking smoke.
SP Vasudev, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Himachal Pradesh told NDTV, "It is true that these fire fighters are ill equipped... we are in process to procure boots and other equipment with money we have got from the Centre."
Himachal Pradesh saw close to 593 small and big forest fires over the last one week. About five thousand hectare of forest area was affected; the damage could have been more if not for the efforts of these fire fighters.