Soaring mercury sparks forest fires in lower hills of Himachal Pradesh
With the onset of summers, forest fires are increasingly being reported from the lower hills of Himachal Pradesh. Pine forests in areas such as Palampur, Dehra Gopipur and Nurpur divisions are particularly vulnerable to fires during this time.
The Forest Department faces significant challenges in controlling these fires due to a lack of cooperation from locals, who have been designated as “bartandar” (forest users) by the state government. However, the situation is currently under control, with forest officials successfully extinguishing most fires over the past two days.
Official sources said this year, the Forest Department has been unable to implement basic preventive measures, such as controlled burning and maintaining fire lines, due to financial constraints. The total area of pine forests in the state, which requires controlled burning, spans 1.50 lakh hectares, with at least 50,000 hectares needing attention each year.
To combat the rising fire threat, arrangements have been made across all forest divisions to raise awareness among the public and various stakeholders on how to prevent forest fires and support the department’s field staff. Control rooms equipped with wireless systems and mobile phones have been set up and firefighting units are now operational in sensitive areas under the supervision of senior forest officials.
While a dry spell and insufficient rainfall last year led to forest fires in March, this year’s prolonged winter and consistent rain and snowfall in March have provided some relief. However, forests in the middle and lower hills of Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur, Una and Bilaspur districts remain highly susceptible to major fires between April and June.
The fires cause harm to the fragile flora and fauna of the region, resulting in severe damage to wildlife and standing trees. Himachal Pradesh is home to some of the richest and most diverse forests in Northern India, including the valuable Himalayan pine, known for its superior timber.
An estimated two tonnes of pine needles fall per hectare of pine forest annually. As temperatures rise in the summer, these highly flammable needles turn the forests into a tinderbox, increasing the risk of devastating fires.
