Why Uttarakhand is prone to forest fire | Explained

Forest fires in Uttarakhand: Causes, impact, and prevention strategies to combat the devastating natural disaster effectively.

The story so far: A massive forest fire is sweeping through the forests surrounding Nainital in Uttarakhand. It has been burning for 60 hours, leading to the deployment of Indian Air Force personnel and Mi-17 choppers in an effort to quell the raging fire. The choppers are collecting water and jet-spraying the affected areas to douse the fire, in an operation termed Bambi Bucket.

The fire has reportedly gutted 108 hectares of forest. According to the daily bulletin issued by Uttarakhand’s Forest Department, 26 incidents of forest fire occurred in the State’s Kumaon region in the last 24 hours, while five incidents occurred in Garhwal region, where 33.34 hectares of forest area was affected. Two columns of the Indian Army have also been deployed in Kumaon to fight the fires.

In a statement to The Hindu, District Forest Officer (DFO) Nainital, Chandra Shekhar Joshi said that the forest fire was first reported earlier this week in the Nanda range, and later spread downwards, reaching the IAF establishment in the area.

While this is an alarming incident, and has placed Uttarakhand State officials on high alert, it is, unfortunately, not an isolated one. From November 1, 2023 till now, 575 incidents of forest fire, affecting 689.89 hectares of forest area and costing the State exchequer more than Rs. 14 lakh, have been reported in Uttarakhand.

We explore the causes of forest fire and why, in particular, Uttarakhand is susceptible to it.

Forest fires are uncontrolled fires occurring in nature, accidental disasters which pose a challenge to forest ecosystems globally.

Three conditions must be present in order for any fire to exist: fuel, oxygen and a heat source. This is often referred to as the fire triangle. In the case of a forest, oxygen is in ample supply, and fuel is supplied in the form of dry trees, shrubs, grasses and litter - particularly in the dry, hot summer months. Dry weather, drought and dry vegetation can offer easy kindling for a fire. Strong winds further help the spread of a forest fire.