Forest fire threat looms after prolonged dry spell

Jotirmay Thapliyal

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 23

Prevailing dry winters could pose a big challenge to forest authorities as they await a tough forest fire season ahead.

The forest fire season begins in mid-February every year and culminates with the start of the monsoons. This period includes peak summer season, when most of the devastating forest fires take place. Moisture content in forests is a key factor that decides their vulnerability to fires and rains play a major role. The winter rains are thus extremely important in keeping the fires under control.

But this year there has been no winter rains so far and the dry spell has already started posing threat to forests. Though temperatures are still down, incidents of forest fires have already been reported from various forest divisions of Kumaon and Garhwal, which is a cause of worry.

The year 2016 proved worst for Uttarakhand as forest fires not only burnt large tracts of forests but also engulfed five lives. The fires were so devastating then that the two MI 17 helicopters were pressed into service to douse the flames apart from a large number of personnel of forest department, state disaster response force and even other officials.

However, Uttarakhand Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Jairaj asserted that the forest department was fully prepared for the forest fire season. He said taking into account the past incidents of forest fires, most forest fire prone areas are already been identified.

“Mapping for fire sensitive areas is already in place, which goes down up to the beat level. These are highly sensitive, moderately sensitive and sensitive beats. We are ready to meet all the challenges”, Jairaj pointed out.

He said the department’s information technology and geo informatics centre was playing an important role in monitoring and mitigation of forest fires.

Meanwhile, forest authorities are also hopeful that some rains would come in the coming days which would help end the dry spell and also prolong the winter season reducing the duration of forest fire period. Met officials too have forecast some rains in the hill districts of the state in the days to come.

Dept fully prepared: PCCF 

• Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Jairaj asserted that the state forest department was fully prepared for the coming forest fire season. 
• He said most forest fire prone areas have already been identified.
• “Mapping for fire sensitive areas is already in place”, Jairaj pointed out.
• He said the department’s information technology and geo informatics centre was playing an important role in monitoring forest fires.