Forest fires, though not uncommon in India, have seldom been as rampant as they have been this year in the northern hill states. Of nearly 1,600 devastating fires recorded so far, Uttarakhand alone accounts for over 1,200 of them. These have ruined the fragile ecosystem of the region, destroying precious forest wealth and causing extensive damage to plant and animal biodiversity. The affected areas include famous wildlife sanctuaries like the Jim Corbett National Park and Rajaji National Park where, besides animals, many valuable species of butterflies, moths and other insects have also been wiped out. Worse, these fires are threatening to hasten the melting of Himalayan glaciers and pollute the rivers passing through this region.
Worryingly, these conflagrations have been caused more by human activities rather than any natural factors. With the population in and around forests swelling, the count of careless acts like throwing of burning match sticks and smouldering butts of cigarettes and bidis is on the rise. But, more disconcerting than that is the deliberate torching of forests by timber and builder mafias to grab partially burnt wood and vacated forest lands. Some misguided elements also occasionally set forests on fire in the hope that it would lead to better and improved grass and vegetative cover to meet their need for fodder and fuel. Strained relations between the forest-dependent population and forest guards over entry into jungles to gather secondary forest produce, too, prompt people to set the forests on fire. However, the most sinister is the role of poachers who use flames to bring out wild animals to the periphery of the forests so that they become easy targets. This aside, most Indian forests, especially in the hills, have power transmission lines passing through them, which can produce sparks to trigger flames.
The laxity in preparedness to cope with such contingencies is believed to be partly responsible for letting these infernos get out of control this year. Questions are being asked - and rightly so - about why an extremely vital routine measure like creation of 'fire lines' or 'buffer belts' to contain the spread of fires was overlooked this year. Such a step is all the more necessary in the chir pine forests, which are usually full of highly inflammable pine flowers and needles. The forest authorities cannot, obviously, be unaware of it. The State of Forest Report 2015 specifically says tropical thorn forests and subtropical pine forests are most prone to fires.
Since controlling the forest fires, especially of the kind encountered this year, is extremely difficult because of the inability of fire fighters to negotiate the inhospitable terrain to reach the troubled spots, prevention becomes all the more critical. Involving the local population is essential in this task. Those who rely on the forest produce for their livelihood can easily be prompted to be their protectors as well. The concept of joint forest management has been tried out fairly successfully in hilly states to meet the legitimate needs of the local population and yet improve the upkeep of jungles. This concept needs to be extended to most forest areas to combat the menace of fire as well as to ensure good health and optimal exploitation of forests as an economic asset.
