National parks and natural reserves in Tehran Province should be protected from wildfires through smart and modern technologies, an official with Tehran Governorate said.
Mohammad Taqizadeh added that municipalities and the fire department should jointly take responsibility for saving green space from conflagration, besides taking preventive measures with the help of tech facilities, ISNA reported.
Climate change has made wildfires more frequent and harsher. Since May 22, the Zagros Mountain Range in southwestern Iran has been ravaged by forest fires spreading across thousands of hectares.
Iran is woefully underprepared to deal with the country's hot season because of a lack of resources and budget, and so extinguishing the fire falls to volunteers. Locals are underequipped to fight the fire, while Iranian officials have tried to deny the extent of damage.
The Zagros Mountain Range, along Iran's western border, is home to many unique species of flora and fauna, with 40% of all plants used for medicinal purposes found in the region. However, drought and overconsumption of resources have damaged the forests in the region, and now wildfires threaten it, too.
Tehran has had its share of wildfires that threaten the capital’s national parks.
“A vast natural park might normally have dried spots that could be highly vulnerable to human-induced or natural blaze, especially in the hot weather,” Taqizadeh said, adding that advance protections can prevent an extensive damage.
He called government officials and the private sector to provide smart facilities, such as sensors and alarms, to maximize the protection of natural resources.
The official suggested that installing informative signs around the most fire-stressed areas in forest parks can warn campers and visitors against igniting fires and other risk-prone behaviors.
Tehran Fire Department called on technology firms to devise smart solutions and products to help upgrade its rescue services and equipment last year
Emphasizing the power of media in building the public culture of protecting the nature, Taqizadeh said production of educational programs can be of great help.
During a Tuesday meeting on Tehran’s natural parks and fire incidents, Saeed Mahmoudi, the head of the Department of Environment, said conflagrations have declined in the first quarter of the current Iranian year (March 20-June 20) compared to the previous year.
“Undoubtedly, the efforts of park rangers, environmentalists and nature lovers add to the efficiency of fire extinguishers and urban officials in reducing the damage,” Mahmoudi said, recalling the fire at Khojir National Park, located 22 kilometers east of Tehran, which was partly devastated in late June.
Farhad Zandi, the head of DOE’s Protection Unit, told reporters in June that six risk-prone areas in Tehran’s natural reserves are being watched full-time by park rangers for the early detection of any possible fire.
He added that over 95% of the fire cases are caused by humans.
Measures Taken So Far
Golestan National Park, situated between the eastern parts of Alborz Mountain Range and the western fringes of Khorasan-Kopet Dag and Turkmen-Khorasan Mountain Range was the first park in Iran equipped with smart protection system.
Last year in June, as a pilot plan, a smart fire alarm system was set up in four spots of the park.
The move was the fruit of an agreement worth 45 billion rials ($204,000) signed in February 2019 between the Information and Communication Technologies Ministry and DOE.
Remote temperature and moisture sensing, Internet of Things and satellite imagery are used by the alarm system. IoT-enhanced flame detectors precisely detect and immediately report fire in the woodland.
Isa Kalantari, the former head of DOE, said at the time that the national park is highly susceptible to blazes, especially along the 12-km road that traverses the natural reserve.
"The road is frequented by tourists and visitors, and the area is highly vulnerable to fire because people who set up barbecue grills are often oblivious to safety measures," he said.
As per the agreement, highly vulnerable areas are fenced and park rangers are equipped with drones, high-speed motorcycles and infrared goggles. The outdated security talkback system used in the park has also been updated to a digital wireless system with a wider coverage.
According to experts, a model project will be replicated in other natural reserves and forests under DOE’s management, if it produces desired results.
Fire Department Adopting Latest Technology
In an earlier effort to strengthen the role of technology in fire extinguishing missions, Tehran Fire Department called on technology firms to devise smart solutions and products to help the department upgrade its rescue services and equipment last year.
Mehdi Davari, the head of the department, said at the time Tehran is highly vulnerable to unexpected events and critical situations, especially fire incidents.
"By applying smart solutions and using technological tools, the fire department can tackle the shortcomings and offer more efficient services to the public," he said.
“In view of growing technologies, firefighting methods should be defined anew. We should minimize the damage caused by incidents using innovative strategies and new technologies."
Davari said the fire department is keen on applying the experiences of startups and using their smart ideas and achievements to improve its performance.
He explained that the department is planning to use software and hardware simulation of fire incidents, using virtual reality and augmented reality along with gamification of the critical situation in professional training courses held for firemen.
In a broader perspective, the department has decided to boost the effectiveness of training using cutting-edge technology.
"We also welcome technological ideas on upgrading the fire-extinguishing equipment currently used by our firemen," Davari said.
Heat-resistant clothes, helmets, gloves, stairwells, water pumps, fire-extinguishing chemicals and hoses are among the tools commonly used by firemen.
