Forest Fires in India: Causes, Himalayan Risks and Mitigation Measures

Subject: GS Paper 3: Disaster Management

Context: A Parliamentary Standing Committee has recommended measures to improve the monitoring, regulation, and management of forest fires.

• The recommendations were made in the report ‘Forest Fires in the Himalayan Region, its adverse effects and mitigation measures’, tabled in both Houses of Parliament.

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Key Recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee

• Climate–Fire Study: Conduct region-specific studies to establish an empirical link between climate change and forest-fire frequency, examining temperature trends, precipitation, and dry spells.
• NDRF Response Centers: Take a time-bound decision on establishing at least two regional NDRF response centers dedicated to forest fires in the Himalayan region.
• National Pine-Needle Utilisation Policy: Identify zones and provide fiscal and market-access incentives for pine-needle collection.
• Geostationary Satellite: Prioritise its launch for round-the-clock forest-fire monitoring.

Causes of Forest Fires

• Anthropogenic Causes: Most forest fires are human-induced, linked to agricultural practices and unregulated land use.
  • Burning forests to promote good-quality grass.
  • Covering illegal tree cutting and poaching activities.
  • Electricity cables coming into contact with dry leaves.
  • Shifting cultivation (Jhum).
• Natural Causes: Lightning is a major natural trigger of forest fires.
• Region-Specific Drivers (NDMA): 
  • Western Himalayas: Accumulation of pine needles.
  • Central-Western India: The collection of Mohua leaf (tendu patta)
  • Northeast India: The cultivation of shifting cultivation (jhum cultivation)
• Climate Change as an Intensifier: Climate change can increase the frequency, intensity and duration of forest fires through:
  • Rising temperatures, Erratic rainfall, Prolonged dry spells, Increased lightning activity.

Why are Himalayan Forests Particularly Vulnerable to Forest Fires?

• High Fire Incidence: The Western and Eastern Himalayas constitute about 17% of India’s landmass but account for 57% of forest-fire incidents.
• Dry and Hot Conditions: In the Western Himalayas, pre-monsoon heat and atmospheric dryness increase fire risk, while in the Eastern Himalayas, dryness and cultivation-linked burning practices contribute to fire risk.
• Pine Forests as Fire-Prone Ecosystems: Chir pine, widely distributed in the Himalayan belt, is highly flammable.
  • Its dry, resin-rich needles, locally called Pirul, accumulate on the forest floor, forming a continuous layer of combustible material.
  • The accumulated dry needles can be ignited by a small spark, allowing fire to spread rapidly, particularly when combined with dry weather and human ignition.

Monitoring, Prevention and Management of Forest Fires In India

• Forest Fire Monitoring: Currently, active fire monitoring relies on foreign polar-orbiting satellites, which observe India about eight times a day, leaving gaps in monitoring.
• Role of Forest Survey of India: The Forest Survey of India (FSI) provides satellite-based forest-fire alerts to State Forest Departments and registered mobile users.
  • It currently uses AQUA and Suomi-NPP satellites for fire alerts.
• FSI Van Agni Geo-Portal: Used by the Forest Protection Division to monitor and track large forest fires across States and Union Territories.
• Institutional Framework: 
  • Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC): It is the nodal ministry for disaster management related to forest fires, among other specified hazards.
  • State Governments: Since forests are primarily managed by State Forest Departments, the primary responsibility for forest-fire prevention and management lies with the States.
• Government Support: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change provides financial assistance to States and Union Territories through:
  • Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme
  • Development of Wildlife Habitats
  • Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA)
• Key Prevention and Management Measures: 
  • Watch towers and fire watchers for early detection.
  • Fire lines to restrict the spread of fires.
  • Water conservation structures to improve moisture availability.
  • Local community participation in prevention and response.
  • Remote sensing and MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) satellite data for detecting active fires.
• Fire Lines: Fire lines are strips created in forests to break the continuity of vegetation and fuel, thereby slowing down or stopping the spread of a forest fire.  There are two types of fire lines:
  • Kachha or Covered Fire Lines: Undergrowth and shrubs are removed while trees are retained. They help reduce the available fuel load.
  • Pucca or Open Fire Lines: Clear-felled strips are created between forests, compartments, or blocks. They help check the spread of fires.
• Remote Sensing and GIS: Satellite-based remote sensing and Geographic Information System technologies help in Early warning in fire-prone areas, Real-time monitoring of forest fires, and mapping burnt areas and fire scars.

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Key Issues and Challenges

• Inadequate Prevention: Limited mapping of fire-prone areas, inadequate information on forest fuel characteristics, and insufficient funding for preventive measures.
• Gaps in Detection: Time lag in satellite-based detection, inadequate digitization of forest infrastructure, and limited ground-based detection systems.
• Difficult Suppression: Hilly terrain, poor availability of water sources, inadequate firefighting equipment, shortage of trained personnel, and limited protective gear.
• Weak Institutional Coordination: Need for better coordination among forest departments, disaster-management agencies, local administration, and communities.
• Limited Post-fire Management: Lack of standardised damage assessment, site-specific restoration strategies, and adequate understanding of the long-term ecological impacts of forest fires.
• Climate Change: Rising temperatures and changing climatic conditions can increase forest-fire vulnerability and the duration or intensity of fire seasons.
• Community Participation: Greater involvement of local communities is required in prevention, early detection, and suppression

Way Forward

• Adopt a Risk-Based Approach: Develop forest-fire risk maps and vulnerability assessments and integrate them into annual forest-management and disaster-preparedness plans.
• Build an integrated Prevention and response system: Combine satellite monitoring, drones, ground patrols, and community reporting with improved firefighting infrastructure, trained personnel, and a clear Incident Response System.
• Strengthen community and climate resilience: Involve forest-fringe communities in prevention and early response, while integrating temperature, rainfall, and drought trends into fire-risk assessment and preparedness.
• Promote landscape restoration: Implement the Gandhinagar Implementation Roadmap (GIR) to strengthen the restoration of landscapes affected by forest fires and mining under the G20 Global Land Initiative.

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