HYDERABAD: For forests in Telangana, fire is more than a once-in-a-while problem. It affected 42.2% of the state’s forest cover in 2024 and 2025, with dry deciduous forests taking most of the hit.
A satellite assessment found that 4,182 sq km of forest area was burnt in 2024, rising to 4,529.5 sq km in 2025. Of Telangana’s 29,655.4 sq km of forest cover, 20.2% was affected by fire in 2024 and 21.9% in 2025.
Mulugu recorded the largest burnt area in both years, with 713 sq km affected in 2024 and 897.7 sq km in 2025. Nagarkurnool followed, accounting for 15.7% of the burnt area in 2024 and 16.9% in 2025.
The findings suggest that fire management needs to move beyond responding after a fire is reported. Satellite maps can help identify recurring hotspots and guide fire lines, patrols and firefighting resources.
“Our focus is and should be on prevention rather than waiting for fires to spread. Identified fire-prone areas need advance preparedness, including maintenance of fire lines, deployment of watchers and regular patrolling so that fires can be detected and controlled at an early stage,” said a forest department official, requesting anonymity.
As of July 29, 2026, the department’s fire database showed 47,928 fire alerts, of which 42,403 had been attended to and updated.
Dry deciduous forests accounted for 85.8% of the total burnt area in 2024 and 86% in 2025. Their burnt area rose from 3,532.2 sq km to 3,796 sq km. Semi-arid conditions, lower rainfall and dry biomass during summer make these forests particularly vulnerable.
“Satellite alerts are being integrated with field-level verification and action. The objective is to identify the location of a fire, verify it on the ground and ensure that the response is recorded and monitored through the forest management system,” the official added.
The pre-monsoon period needs attention, when dry vegetation and higher temperatures favour surface fires. Human activity is also a major factor, with reported causes including crop-residue burning, beedi-leaf collection, non-timber forest produce collection and cooking inside forest areas.
The assessment recommends using burnt-area maps to identify high-risk zones, plan patrols and fire lines, deploy resources efficiently and identify areas needing ecological restoration across Telangana’s forests.
THE TWO-YEAR PICTURE
42.2% of Telangana’s forest cover affected by fire at least once in 2024-25
8,711.5 sq km Total forest area burnt over two years