Q. Identify the regions vulnerable to forest fires in India. While discussing the causes of forest fires in India, highlight the measures to address them. (Answer in 150 words).

04 Oct, 2022 GS III Daily Answer Writing 2022-23 ( Upgrade)
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With a ten-fold increase in forest fires in the past two decades, India’s commitment to bring 33% of its geographical area under forest cover seems to be in a jeopardy.

Regions vulnerable to forest fires in India:

  • >35% of forest cover is fire prone
  • >60 % of Indian states prone to high-intensity forest fire events.
  • These include: AP, Odisha, Maharashtra, MP, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Telangana, and north-eastern region (NER) states – except for Sikkim.                                  

Causes of forest fires in India:

  • Natural causes:
  • Thunderstorm & Lightning: which sets trees on fire.
  • High temperatures: setting ignition threshold.
  • Wind speed - It causes friction among forest è biggest reasons of fires in Bamboo forests.
  • Dryness (low humidity): offer favorable circumstances for a fire to start. Eg. Dry deciduous forests
  • Volcanic eruption: forest fires due to lava spread.
  • Other causes: the friction of bamboos swaying due to high wind velocity and rolling stones resulting in sparks.
  • Man-made causes:
  • Human induced climate change: Rising temperatures, heatwaves, drought etc èinduces ‘fire weather’.
  • Large scale expansion of Chir forests in Himalayan mountains è Highly inflammable dry leaves.
  • Shifting cultivation (Slash & Burn) - for eg. in Mizoram
  • Carelessness: Smoking, campfires, electric spark etc
  • Deliberate causes: Ward off wild animals, timber cutting

Measures taken to address forest fires in India: 

  • Pre-warning alerts: piloted PAN India
  • Robust monitoring system:g. Van Agni Geo-portal.
  • Forest fire control system: it uses satellite information from NASA and ISRO to identify ‘fire hotspots’
  • Schemes: For Assisting states (Forest fire prevention & management scheme) & Empowering forest communities (National Action Plan on Forest Fires-2018).
  • Intensified patrolling: with a three-tier system to increase surveillance in the hilly and inaccessible areas.
  • Reducing Forest dependency: via Ujjawala Yojana. 

0utstanding Challenges: Focus on response centric approach & Lack of appropriate policy, institutional mechanism, funding, Capacity building, coordination, technology.

Way Forward:

  • ‘Prevention Centric Approach’: by breaking the ‘fire triangle’ (fuel, air/oxygen and ignition source).
  • Ensuring funding & Training: utilisation of CAMPA funds.
  • Coordination between national, state and district levels: MOEFCC and NDMA should provide guidance.
  • Development of Fire Danger Rating System: by Forest Survey of India to keep a track of forest fires.
  • Extending National Forestry Research Plan 2000-20. 
There is a need to move from short-term solutions to long-term resilience by bringing in integrated forest fire management, coupling together the traditional efforts and modern technology to sustain ‘Forests for the Future’. 

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