49 forest fires in Solan division this year
Ambika Sharma
Solan, June 6
Forest fires continue to wreak havoc in the Solan Forest Division, with the maximum temperature being recorded above normal in the region.
1,257 hectares of natural forest area lost
The Solan Forest Division comprising Solan, Kasauli, Parwanoo and Subathu areas has witnessed 49 fire incidences this season. These have led to a loss of 147.6 hectares of plantation and 1,257 hectare of natural forest area. — Hitender Gupta, Solan Divisional Forest Officer
In Solan, the maximum temperature was 34° C, which is a departure of 1.9° C from normal, while in Kasauli, the maximum temperature touched 29.4°C, which is also on the higher side.
Most of the forest area around Kasauli and Solan have been charred after the pine-needle strewn forest floor was burnt in the hot and dry weather. It has become a routine affair to see smoke billowing out of the hills following a forest fire in the area.
Scant rain brought slight respite from the dry weather and as per the Metrological Department, the prevailing heatwave has eased to some extent. These fires have further contributed to the high temperature of the area as one fails to get a feel of pine-whipped cool breeze while riding through the hills of Kasauli in the day.
“The Solan Forest Division comprising Solan, Kasauli, Parwanoo and Subathu areas has witnessed 49 fire incidences this season. These have led to a loss of 147.6 hectares of plantation and 1,257 hectare of natural forest area, besides five hectares of other area. The forest fires have led to a loss of Rs 20 lakh in this season,” said Solan Divisional Forest Officer Hitender Gupta.
“Several forest fires occurred in Kasauli’s Mashobra, Lower and Upper Mall areas, but the forest staff and firefighters managed to control the fires,” he added.
“Since the pine leaf litter is inflammable due to the presence of resin, a slight instigation in the form of a callously left burnt cigarette or a fire ignited by tourists or hotel staff to burn waste has been causing massive fires in the division,” he said.
