CHANDIGARH: With an unprecedented heat wave this April, forest fires in Himachal Pradesh have also seen a spurt. On an average, the state has seen 24 forest fires daily this month with a total of 645 blazes reported till Wednesday.
A total of 4,977 hectares of area have been affected by the fires, which have caused maximum damage to pine trees that constitute about 15 per cent of the total forest cover in Himachal. The forest fire season in Himachal usually lasts from April 1 to June 30. This year, the fires started two weeks early due to a sudden rise in temperature and prolonged dry spell, a senior official of the department said.
“Some 9,000 forest fire volunteers have been roped in to help the forest department staff to report and contain the fires. Home guard volunteers and ITBP and police personnel also are extending help. We have identified 150 most vulnerable forest ranges and are taking extra precautions there. The Forest Fire Alert Messaging System is being updated quarterly,” the official said.
Forest officials claim that most fire incidents are caused by human negligence and start in and around habitations. Specific instructions have been issued to all the field officers to ensure publicity material is distributed to people to make them aware about consequences of forest fires.
Environmentalists have suggested that a policy should be framed and the inflammable pine should be replaced with broad-leafed trees in the lower hills. “While most reports put the blame of fires on rising mercury and rural miscreants, much of the blame also lies with the afforestation policies, which till the 1980s pushed pine monocultures,” said environmentalist Manshi Asher.