Forest Fire – UPSC GS3

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Facts:
  • 50-55 per cent of the total forest cover in India is prone to fires annually, normally between February and mid-June. This is the time when soil moisture is at its lowest
  • Fires mostly happen in pre-monsoon season.
  • Since the start of 2021 forest fires has been seen in Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland-Manipur border, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat.
  • According to the India State Forest Report 2019, India’s 21.67% of its geographical area is forest. Forests in Assam, Mizoram and Tripura have been identified as ‘extremely prone to the forest fires.

Parliamentary Standing Committee recommendations:
  • National policy on managing forest fires must be framed.
  • Replacing pine reserve forests areas with “broad-leaf” plants.
  • Procurement of sweeping machines to clear roadsides of Chir pine needles.
  • Advocating large-scale incentives and programmes (including under MNREGA) to collect pines for use as fuel, and other incineration.
Why more fires happen in Himalayan region?
  • The coniferous forest in the Himalayan region comprising of fir (Albies spp), spruce (Picea smithiana), Cedrus deodra, Pinus roxburgii and P. Wallichiana etc. is very prone to fire
  • With large scale expansion of chir forests in Himalayan mountains, the frequency and intensity of forest fires have increased alarmingly
  • It is possible that the changing patterns of climate may be exacerbating the problem
  • Human induced – Setting the vegetation on fire in some forests helps produce richer grazing lands by bringing about better botanical diversity on the ground.
  • The major reasons for forest fires in Uttarakhand are the highly inflammable material of dry chir pine needles and the dry-leaf litter of broad-leaved trees on the forest floor associated with chir pine.
  • Mass migration of villagers is also to be blamed. In recent years, migration from the state has checked the local utilisation of the needles, leaving more fuel for forest fires
Why Forest Fires are difficult?
Forest fires are  difficult to control due to the following reasons:
  • The locality of the forest and access to the specific location is hard for firefighters.
  • Shortage of Firefighters: This creates challenges in the timely mobilisation of forest staff,  fuel and firefighting equipment, etc.
  •  Impossible to transport heavy vehicles loaded with water into the thick forests. So, in extreme places helicopters are used.
  • Wind speed and direction can also play a crucial role in firefighting.
Government Initiatives to prevent Forest Fires in  India:
  • Since 2004, the Forest Survey of India(FSI) developed a Fire Alert System. The system will monitor forest fires in real-time. In 2019, an advanced version of the system was also launched.
  • Using the MODIS sensors(Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) Real-time fire information of fire hotspots is collected and sent to FSI. This is then forwarded by email to state, district, circle, division, range and beat levels. People in the locality will also receive SMS alerts.
    What are the causes of forest fires?  How forest fire disaster should be managed? Examine. (200 Words)
    Causes:
    • Natural causes:
      • Such as lightning which set trees on fire.
      • Largely related to climatic conditions such as temperature, wind speed and direction, level of moisture in soil and atmosphere and duration of dry spells.
      • Other natural causes are friction between bamboos swaying due to high wind velocity and rolling stones that result in sparks setting off fires in highly inflammable leaf litter on the forest floor.
      • Dry forests are prone to fire in summers, e.g. Australian forests
        • The coniferous forest in the Himalayan region comprising of fir (Albies spp), spruce (Picea smithiana), Cedrus deodra, Pinus roxburgii and P. Wallichiana etc. is very prone to fire.
      • The most vulnerable stretches of the world to forest fire are the youngest mountain ranges of Himalayas. With large scale expansion of chir forests in Himalayan mountains, the frequency and intensity of forest fires have increased alarmingly.
      • The recent forest fire in Uttarakhand is because of high temperatures with no atmospheric moisture and lack of rainfall
    • Man-made causes:
      • Fire is caused when a source of fire like naked flame, cigarette or bidi, electric spark or any source of ignition comes into contact with inflammable material
      • As well as methods of forest management.
      • Grazers and gatherers of various forest products starting small fires to obtain good grazing grass as well as to facilitate gathering of minor forest produce like flowers of Madhuca indica and leaves of Diospyros melanoxylon
      • Shifting cultivation (especially in the North-Eastern region of India and imparts of the States of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh).
      • The use of fires by villagers to ward off wild animals
      • Fires lit intentionally by people living around forests for recreation
      • It has been estimated that 90% of forest fires in India are man-made
Forest fire Management:
    1. Strengthening of organizational framework:
      • Through appropriate modification and alteration in State Forest Departments’ structural framework and providing sufficient human power.
      • Financial support to States– Provision of Aids/Loans from GOI to States/UT’s according to their action plan for Systematic Forest Fire Management.
      • Inclusion of Forest fire management in National Forestry Action Plan– Sufficient mention of strategic Forest Fire Management in the document of NAFP
      • Revision of Indian Forest Act– The relevant section of the Indian Forest Act needs to be revised to give due importance to legal protection against man-made forest fire.
      • Creation of a national forest fire control board– With the task of supervising the control of devastating forest fire in exigencies in fragile areas like Himalayan zone, Western Ghats etc
    2. Implementation of National Master Plan for Forest Fire Control: This plan proposes to introduce a well-coordinated and integrated fire-management programme that includes the following components:
      • Prevention of human-caused fires through education and environmental modification. It will include silvicultural activities, engineering works, people participation, and education and enforcement.
      • It is proposed that more emphasis be given to people participation through Joint Forest Fire Management for fire prevention.
      • Prompt detection of fires through a well-coordinated network of observation points, efficient ground patrolling, and communication networks.
      • Remote sensing technology is to be given due importance in fire detection. For successful fire management and administration, a National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) and Fire Forecasting System are to be developed in the country.
      • Fast initial attack measures.
      • Introducing a forest fuel modification system at strategic points.
    3. Also designing and installing a network of fire forecasting at National and State levels in collaboration with the Meteorological Department.
    4. International coordination:
      • The FAO has run a special TCP project program in the country under which main emphasis was given to human resource development in forest fire management.
      • Organising seminars, training programs, conferences, and study tours in different countries leading in Forest Fire Management, e.g., U.S.A., Australia, U.K., Spain, France, etc.
    5. Technology:
      • In addition to the ongoing schemes for forest fire management, the Government is also considering for setting up of a National Institute of Forest Fire Management with satellite centres in different parts of India with an objective to bring the latest forest fire fighting technologies to India through proper research, training of personnel
      • Effective fire fighting tools and machinery- Provision of modern and effective tools and machinery e.g. Fire Beater, Forest Fire Showel, Pulaskis Tool, Fire Rake, McLeod Tools, Brush Tools, Power Blowers, Back-Pack Pump Sets, Fire Tenders etc
    6. Training and education:
      • Designing syllabus for planning, management, ground level firefighting courses in Forestry Institutions.
    7. Alerts:
      • India is working on a new system of issuing pre-fire alerts to prevent such incidents.
    8. Promotion of people’s participation:
      • Through involvement of NGOs, Voluntary Organisations, Village Forest Committees (VFCs) etc.
    9. The effective intervention of community-led ‘ vanpanchayats’ (forest councils) in preventing fires
    10. In addition to the ongoing schemes for forest fire management, the Government is also considering for setting up of a National Institute of Forest Fire Management with satellite centres in different parts of India with an objective to bring the latest forest fire fighting technologies to India through proper research, training of personnel
    11. creation of forest self-help groups (FSHGs) or local forest special purpose vehicle (FSPV) — with an industrial linkage to the removal of dry needles with the help of villagers for making bio-briquettes, compost or vermi compost, composite boards, panels, etc.

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