Burning forests: We did start the fires that rage

What causes forest fires?

They are a regular occurrence in India between November and June due to a rise in temperatures. The presence of a huge quantity of dry leaves acts as a catalyst but in 95% of the cases, fires are man-made. Deciduous and dry forests of the lowlands and coniferous forests in the lower and middle elevations are regularly burnt for stimulating fresh under-growth—fodder for livestock. During summer, when chances of precipitation are low and temperatures are high, these fires can become uncontrollable. Forest fires contribute to climate change—a vicious cycle as the latter results in drier and more severe summers that cause fires.

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How vulnerable are Indian forests?

Forest fires occur in around half of India’s 647 districts every year. More than 46% of the forest cover is prone to frequent fires in varying degrees of vulnerability. Every year large areas of forests are affected by fires. Based on forest inventory records, 54.40% of forests in India are exposed to occasional fires, 7.49% to moderately frequent fires and 2.40% to high incidence levels. Around 35% of India’s forests have not yet been exposed to fires of any real significance. The forests of the North-east, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Jharkhand are the most vulnerable.

What is the economic impact of these fires?

With at least one in four people dependent on forests for their livelihood, India is losing ₹1,100 crore due to forest fires every year, says the World Bank. Forest resources including carbon locked in the biomass is lost in these fires. According to the World Economic Forum, forest fires cost $50 bn to the world economy every year. The impact is more in real estate and tourism.

How severe are the fires in Uttarakhand?

More than half the districts of Uttarakhand are fighting forest fires. Since November 2023, over 700 forest fires have been reported in the state, devastating over 900 hectares of woodland. The current fires that began around 20 April, have expanded to 8 of the 13 districts in the state including Almora, Chamoli, Nainital and Pauri Garhwal. National disaster force teams have been trying to curb the fires for almost a fortnight now. But there are reports of fresh fires—as many as 41 of them on Thursday.​

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How can they be controlled?

While it may be impossible to scotch fires entirely, early detection can help control them. The Forest Survey of India has been using a satellite-based fire alarm system for this. Other countries are trying out AI analysis of video streams and sensors. In the current scenario where the fire has already spread, jet spraying of water by IAF choppers has helped. These choppers can carry up to 1,000 litres of water in one trip. On a more sustainable basis, creating awareness and limiting man-forest conflict are the best way forward.