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Yuva Junction Feature desk: Wildfires are frequent and destructive events that frequently happen around Uttarakhand which is a state in northern India. It is uniquely susceptible to wildfires because it has vast forested lands on a unique topography which experiences specific weather patterns. The purpose of this paper is to explore reasons why forests get burnt every year, frequency of such happenings throughout India, and components that make Uhtarakhand differ in terms of handling or avoiding such tragedies. Forest fires, wild fires, can be started by natural occurrences or on occasion indirectly by human beings’ actions towards the environment.A wide field of view helps in setting up effective containment measures and initial steps.Closed forests are mainly set on fire due to natural causes.
Lightning is one of the main things that make fires start in the forest.Before long there is a fire outbreak in the woods The geographic diversity of India brings about an increased susceptibility to fire hazards due to the large areas of forests, from the Indian states forest survey report released in 2019 indicates that close to 36% of forested lands in our country are at risk o In the Himalayan regions, forest fires often happen in the states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir during dry summer months. When it comes to Central India, because of its vast deciduous forests, it is common to find forest fires in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. Similarly, Western Ghats together with Northeast India are at risk, though their flames are less intense because of higher humidity.f frequent burning with severity differing greatly depending on where one finds oneself.
In the Himalayan regions, forest fires often happen in the states of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir during dry summer months. When it comes to Central India, because of its vast deciduous forests, it is common to find forest fires in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. Similarly, Western Ghats together with Northeast India are at risk, though their flames are less intense because of higher humidity.
Seasonal Patterns: In India, forest fires are mainly as a result of the dry season. March to June witnesses the most cases brought about by parched vegetation and high temperatures precede monsoon. Post-monsoon fires are less common, but they still happen especially in regions that have experienced little or no rain. Uttarakhand is among the most fire-prone states in India due to its stunning environment with profound biodiversity. Such that every year there are several instances of wildfires burning through an approximate 24,000 square kilometers of forested land.
The climatic conditions in the ecologic sub-region range from temperate to alpine while its forests are predominantly covered with coniferous trees, such as pines. Therefore, they accumulate large amounts of dry needles on the ground surface that serve as a fuel source thereby enhancing the likelihood for conflagration outbreaks during times of draought. Human factors: Local farming and tourism can greatly contribute to forest fire outbreaks. Setting unattended campfires, throwing away cigarette butts carelessly, and burning land purposely are some of the issues that are common regarding this. It follows that human invasion into forested areas has led to more frequent fire incidents. Numerous problems exist with forest fires in Uttarakhand including loss of biodiversity, soil erosion and degradation of water quality due to them producing smoke and particulate matter that pollute the air as well as affecting human health and visibility; besides being in a rugged terrain that limits accessibility and provision of materials necessary for combating such flames makes it difficult to put them out. With limited resources available within the state for rescue operations as well as protection against disaster caused by fire outbreak hence relying upon old methods that are not working for big fire outbreaks.
Forest fires can be addressed in a way that uses many different ways including but not limited to; avoidance, early detection as well as effective firefighting tactics that must be taken into account when adopting suitable strategies. The following list shows some of these methods: Prevention: Community Awareness Educating local population concerning causes and dangers associated with forest fires could help reduce cases of both accidental as well as planned ones. Controlled Burns The application of managed fire through controlled burning techniques may aid in controlling fuel buildup in Woodlands. The early identification of forest fires is possible through the utilization of satellite imagery from satellites and geographic information systems (GIS).The best way to ensure that fire outbreaks are reported on time is by developing a wide network of fire watch towers and organizing regular patrols. It would also be necessary to equip the offices dealing with forests with contemporary fighting gadgets while personnel undergo proper teaching. To effectively combat forest fires, it is a must to provide forest departments with modern firefighting equipment and train them on firefighting procedures. The use of helicopters and aircraft in water bombing remains vital particularly in places that are difficult to access.
