Forest fires, also known as bush, vegetation fires or wildfires, are any uncontrolled and non-prescribed combustion or burning of plants in a natural setting such as a forest, grassland, brush land or tundra. These fires consume the natural fuels and spread based on environmental conditions such as wind and topography. Three crucial factors for a wildfire are Fuel, Oxygen, and a Heat source.
Causes of Forest Fires – Natural and Man-Made Origins
Forest fires can originate from both natural and human causes. Natural causes include events like lightning strikes that set trees on fire. However, rains often extinguish these fires causing minimal damage. High atmospheric temperatures and low humidity create conducive environment for these fires to ignite and spread.
On the other hand, man-made causes involve incidences where a source of fire, such as naked flame, cigarette or bidi, electric spark or any source of ignition comes into contact with inflammable material.
Classifications of Forest Fires – Surface, Underground and Ground Fires
Forest fires are classified based on their location and intensity into surface, underground, and ground fires. Surface fires spread along the ground consuming surface litter like dry leaves, twigs and grasses on the forest floor. Underground fires have low intensity, spreading entirely underground and burning organic matter beneath the forest floor, often undetected for several months. Ground fires are similar to underground fires, burning beneath the surface and consuming root and other material. They are typically ignited by surface fires and can cause more damage than the former two types.
Increasing Forest Fire Incidents in India – A Growing Threat
The past two decades have witnessed a ten-fold increase in forest fires in India, rendering over 62% of Indian states vulnerable to high-intensity forest fires. States such as Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra are most prone to high-intensity forest fires events caused by rapid climate change.
In the past twenty years, Mizoram has reported the highest number of forest fire incidences, with over 95% of its districts being forest fire hotspots. Formerly flood-prone districts have now become drought-prone due to climatic changes.
Initiatives for Combating Forest Fires – Government Measures and Plans
In 2018, the National Action Plan for Forest Fires (NAPFF) took off with an aim to reduce forest fires by informing, enabling, and empowering forest fringe communities and incentivizing their collaboration with state forest departments. The Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme (FPM) is another government-sponsored program dedicated to assisting states in dealing with forest fires.
Prevention and Control Measures for Forest Fires
The measures needed to prevent and control forest fires include removal of forest litter along the forest boundary during summer and creating a forest line to prevent fire from spreading from one compartment to another. It is crucial to create firebreaks in the shape of small clearings or ditches to prevent any spread of a forest fire.
Moreover, adoption of safe practices in areas near forests such as factories, coal mines, oil stores, chemical plants, and even household kitchens are essential to avoid accidental ignition of fires. Inclusion of fire reducing and firefighting techniques and equipment are crucial parts of the preventive measures.
