Uttarakhand Forest Fires: Causes, Frequency, and How India Fights Them

Forest fires continued to rage in Uttarakhand's Nainital district for a second day on Sunday, prompting the Indian Air Force to join firefighting operations. The Nainital, Haldwani, and Ramnagar forest divisions have been worst affected, with authorities using Bambi buckets to drop large amounts of water on the flames at short intervals. The exact cause of these particular fires remains unknown.

India's forest fire season typically runs from November to June, with intensity and frequency influenced by temperature, precipitation, vegetation, and moisture levels. Experts identify three key factors for fire spread: fuel load, oxygen, and temperature, with dry leaves serving as primary fuel. According to the Forest Survey of India (FSI), nearly 36 percent of the country's forests are prone to frequent fires, with incidents peaking between March and May when dry biomass is abundant after winter.

FSI data indicates that dry deciduous forests are most susceptible to severe fires, while evergreen and montane temperate forests are comparatively less prone. Nearly 4 percent of India's forest cover is extremely fire-prone, and 6 percent is very highly fire-prone. Northeastern states show the highest tendency for forest fires, with patches of high-risk zones also found in western Maharashtra, southern Chhattisgarh, central Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka.

Most forest fires are believed to be man-made, stemming from agricultural changes and unchecked land-use patterns. In Uttarakhand, authorities have cited deliberate fires by locals, carelessness, farming activities, and natural reasons as causes. Locals sometimes set forests ablaze to encourage better grass growth, conceal illegal tree cutting, or facilitate poaching. Friction between electricity cables and dry leaves, as well as lightning, can also trigger fires. Setting forests on fire is a punishable offence under the Indian Penal Code, though identifying accused individuals remains challenging.

Prevention and control measures include watch towers for early detection, deployment of fire watchers, community involvement, and creation of fire lines. Two types of fire lines are used: Kachha lines, where undergrowth is removed while retaining trees to reduce fuel load, and Pucca lines, which are clear-felled areas separating forest blocks. Satellite-based remote sensing and GIS tools have also proven effective in early warning, real-time monitoring, and assessing burnt areas.