Rain respite for forest fire-ravaged hill states soon

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 2

Battling forest fires, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand can expect rains and thundershowers over the next four days, beginning Tuesday. The Met office has predicted rain, thundershowers and a resultant drop in temperatures in the two forest-fire ravaged states between May 3 and May 6.

IMD Director BP Yadav said rains and thundershowers accompanied by squall or hail in Himachal, Uttarakhand and dust storms in the plains can be expected during these days (May 3 to May 6), which will significantly help lower temperatures in the northwest and help in the management of the forest fires in the hill states.

“The maximum temperature will fall by 2­-4 degree Celsius due to the dust storm/ thunderstorm in the region,” he said. At present, heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are prevailing in many parts of the country. Many parts of the northwest are also battling temperatures markedly above normal — 5.1 degree Celsius or more.

According to the IMD, Himachal, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi have all been reporting either ‘markedly above normal’ temperatures or ‘appreciably above normal’ mercury (3.1 degree Celsius to 5.0 degree Celsius).

Sizzling at 44 degree Celsius, Delhi today reported the hottest day of the season so far. While Uttarakhand and Himachal forest fires are largely being blamed on timber and land mafia, ecologists say they have been further aggravated by climate change patterns — high temperatures prevailing over a long period of time.