Manifold increase in forest fire incidents in Uttarakhand since 2023, say experts

Forest officials emphasize the normalcy of forest fires in Uttarakhand but acknowledge the worsening situation due to changing climate conditions and human activities

Fire incidents, including forest blazes, in Uttarakhand recorded a multifold surge during March-April compared to the same period in 2023, with some districts such as Nainital registering an over seven-fold increase.

An analysis of fire point images captured by NASA's Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite conducted by the Climate Trends think-tank shows that fire incidents in all districts of Uttarakhand, except Haridwar, increased many times in March-April this year, Palak Balyan, the study's lead researcher, said on Monday.

Citing an example, she said the number of fire incidents in Nainital in March-April 2023 was 207. This jumped to 1,524 -- a seven-fold increase -- during the same period this year.