FOREST FIRE IN INDIA (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Disaster Management)
Context: The state forest department recently stated that the fires engulfing the forests of Nainital and Pauri Garhwal in Uttarakhand were predominantly caused by human activities.
Forest fire
- About: An unclosed and freely spreading combustion that consumes the natural fuels.
o When a fire burns out of control it is known as Wild Fire.
Types of Forest Fires
- Ground Fires
o Occur below materials like leaves and peat.
o Slow-moving but can cover large areas if left unattended.
- Crown Fires
o Highest risk due to fast-spreading behavior.
o Develop on top of trees.
o Can jump from one tree to another, making them highly aggressive.
- Surface Fires
o Only occur at the surface and are no taller than the average human.
o Relatively easy to extinguish and create the least amount of destruction.
Forest fire in India
- Forest fire season: November to June is considered to be forest fire season in India, with hundreds of thousands of small and large fires burning every year.
- Worst fire months: April-May are usually the worst fire months across the country.
- According to India State of Forest Report (ISFR): More than 36% of India’s forest cover was prone to frequent fires. About 4% of the forest cover was ‘extremely prone’ to fire, and another 6% was ‘very highly’ fire prone.
- Globally, about 3% of the total forest area, or about 98 million hectares of forest, were affected by fires in the year 2015, mostly in the tropical regions.
- Most prone region:
o Severe fires occur in dry deciduous forests, with forests in Northeast India, Odisha, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Uttarakhand being the most vulnerable.
o Recent incidents of forest fires have been reported from Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya, and Maharashtra.
- Impact of Weather Conditions:
o Above-normal temperatures and dry biomass availability since winter have contributed to the early onset of forest fires.
