Two of India’s Himalayan states have reported an alarming level of forest fires right in the middle of winter. In the months of December and January, satellites captured 2,050 fire points in Himachal Pradesh, registering a near 800 percent jump over last year. During the same time, at least 2,132 fire alerts were received from Uttarakhand, which is another record for the state. The 10,000-odd winter wildfires have left environmentalists perplexed, because the fire season usually begins mid-February and lasts till June, which means the worse is yet to come.
The real concern is the rapid surge in such incidences in recent times. Himachal Pradesh recorded 536 forest fires during November 2019-June 2020, which jumped to 5,280 in the same period of 2021-22. For Uttarakhand, the number of large, continuous and repeated forest fires over the same periods three years apart rose from 759 to 12,985. A global biodiversity hotspot, the Himalayan region is known for its species’ endemism and vulnerability, which are exacerbated by forest fires. Besides, wildfires impact the forest cover, which can potentially accelerate landslides in a region increasingly devastated by such calamities. While the current winter fires are being attributed to inadequate rainfall and the near-absence of snowfall, rising anthropogenic activity changing land-use patterns is another culprit.
The real threat from climate change can be seen across the world. Colombia has declared forest fires a natural disaster after it devastated thousands of hectares since November. In Indonesia, a million hectares burnt uncontrollably last year. With El Niño in play, India must adopt caution, because the Himalayan states are not the only vulnerable regions. Central, eastern and southern India has borne the brunt as prolonged summers have sent forest fire numbers soaring. A recent IIT Delhi study said that rising temperatures will lead to further increases in the fire weather index by the end of the century.
Its calculation says the fire season in Himalayan regions could expand by 33 days, whereas across central India the increase could be as much as 61 days. We need more scientific research, technology back-up and community outreach. States now have individual plans to battle the raging forest fires. That strategy must change. A national plan that caters to biodiverse geographies with specific needs must be devised with adequate infrastructure and funding.