Safeguarding The Forest: A Mother-Daughter Duo’s Heroic Battle Against Wildfire In Odisha’s Kandhamal

Kandhamal: In a remarkable act of bravery, a mother and daughter from a remote village in Odisha’s Kandhamal district risked their lives to save the forest from a devastating wildfire. Their quick thinking, courage and love for nature helped protect the wildlife and forest. It was a dark night when Bimala Nayak, an elderly woman and her daughter Lipika Mallick, saw flames rising from the forest near their village, Malerimaha. Without hesitation, they decided to act. They knew the fire could destroy the forest and endanger the wildlife, so they set out into the wilderness to fight the flames. Despite the dangers, including the risk of wild animals and the fierce fire, Bimala and Lipika bravely entered the forest, with their pet dog following closely behind. They walked nearly half a kilometer into the forest to reach the fire’s epicenter. There, they picked up green branches and used them to beat out the flames, sweeping away the fire from the dry leaves that were fueling the wildfire. For over seven hours, the mother-daughter duo worked tirelessly to put out the fire. The flames were intense, but they did not give up. They knew they had to stop the wildfire from spreading any further. Back at the village, their family and neighbors became worried when they did not return home. Concerned villagers went searching for them.