Four months into 2024, Uttarakhand has already reported 146 cases of ‘man-made’ forest fires. Seeing these glaring numbers, the Uttarakhand Forest Department has decided to take strict action against all the miscreants. The department has noticed a significant increase in forest fire cases in Uttarakhand in the second week of April. They are now making all possible efforts to curb it.
Uttarakhand Reports 146 Cases Of ‘Man-Made’ Forest Fires In 2024
Uttarakhand has reported 146 cases of ‘man-made’ forest fire incidents in the state just this year. Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Radha Raturi has instructed officials of the forest department, the police, and the administration to take strict action against these people. So far, they have been able to identify 17 people who are igniting fires in forests.
According to official data, there have been 113 forest fire incidents in the past three days (April 23-25). Out of these, 46 fire incidents were reported on April 23, 13 on April 24, and 54 on April 25. This has destroyed 139.63 hectares of forest land in just three days.
Talking about these forest fires, Nishant Verma, Additional Principal Chief Conservator Of Forests & State Nodal Officer For Forest Fires said, “The incidents of forest fires have started increasing from the second week of this month. Most of the cases are being reported from the Kumaon region. Our teams have been working proactively to prevent the forest fires with the involvement of villagers.”
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Rising Temperatures Also Contribute To These Fires
Besides the ‘man-made’ forest fires, Uttarakhand has also seen a rise in natural forest fires. This is mainly due to rising temperatures in the state. The maximum temperature in Dehradun was recorded at 35.6 °C – which is quite high according to the state’s normal maximum temperature. Also, little to no rain has also contributed to natural forest fires in the region. According to data, the state received just 3.5 mm of rainfall in April. It normally receives 32.9 mm of rain during this season. In fact, the state recorded 56.1mm rainfall in April 2023.
We hope the authorities are able to take appropriate and strict actions against the miscreants. Let us know your thoughts on this in the comments.
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva (representative image)