• UGI USER
  • Jun 04, 2024
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1,318 FOREST FIRES DEVASTATE HIMACHAL PRADESH, DAMAGING BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEMS

Why in the news?

  • 1,318 forest fire outbreaks reported this year(2024).
  • Fires impacted Shimla, Chamba, Bilaspur, Dharamshala, Hamirpur, Kullu Mandi, Rampur, Nahan, Solan, and the Great Himalayan National Park.
  • 12,718 hectares of land were affected, including 2,789 hectares of plantations, causing a loss of ₹4.61 crore.
  • IMD expects a western disturbance by June 4, potentially bringing rain and relief from heatwave conditions and high temperatures.
source:scribd

 About Forest Fires:

  • Definition: Uncontrolled combustion of plants in natural settings like forests, grasslands, or brushlands.
  • Essential Elements: Requires fuel, oxygen, and a heat source to sustain combustion.
  • Types:
  • Surface Fire: Spreads along the ground, consuming surface litter.
  • Underground Fire/Zombie Fire: Burns beneath the surface, often undetected and slow-spreading.
  • Canopy or Crown Fires: Spreads through upper tree canopy, intense and challenging to control.
  • Controlled Deliberate Fires: Intentionally set by forest management to reduce fuel loads and promote ecosystem health.
Key Government Initiatives For Forest Fires:

National Action Plan for Forest Fires (NAPFF):

  • Started in 2018.
  • Aims to reduce forest fires by involving and empowering forest fringe communities.
  • Incentivizes collaboration with state forest departments.

Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme (FPM):

  • Government-sponsored program.
  • Assists states in managing forest fires.
  • Dedicated initiative for addressing forest fire challenges.

Associated Article:

https://universalinstitutions.com/forest-fire-in-jammus-gangera-hills-raises-alarms-amid-heatwave/