Forest fires rage across Palampur
Ravinder Sood
Palampur, May 18
Despite the efforts of the Forest Department and residents, forest fires have been destroying forests of the Dhauladhar hills in the Kangra valley for the past week.
All forests adjoining Palampur — Kandi, Bundla, Kandwari, Mehanja, Paror and Jharet — are on fire, causing substantial losses to xflora and fauna of the region.
A team of The Tribune visited several such areas this morning and witnessed hundreds of acres of pine forests on fire. In many areas, villagers could be seen helping Forest Department officials in dousing the fires.
Climate change plays its role
Climate change certainly has a role to play. If there are periodic showers, trees and plants in the forest remain moist, reducing the possibility of fires. Small fires that occur in forests do not change their structure and the forest rejuvenates itself. However, if the frequency of these incidents remains as high as we are witnessing now, it would be a problem. In April and May, people in the hills burn dry grass in the hope of getting a better yield after the monsoons, triggering forest fires . — A scientist at HP Agriculture University
The current state of forested areas in Palampur suggests that state and Central governments have no effective disaster management plan in place to control fires, which occur in the Himalayas every year.
Apart from the destruction to forests, these fires are also adding to the carbon emissions of the area and heating the mountains.
A senior officer of the state Forest Department at Palampur said the forest fires in the upper hills of Dhauladhar were mostly “man-made”. However, forests are more vulnerable when conditions are favourable for such incidents, he added.
During the pre-monsoon season, warming and prolonged dry weather make the forests highly susceptible to fire.
He said keeping in view the large number of fires in the pine forests of Palampur, a control room has been set up at his office. Additionally, he has cancelled the leaves of his field staff and fire watchers have been appointed to all the sensitive forests ranges. A team of 350 volunteers has also been constituted in the Palampur division, he added, stating that the volunteers have been equipped with mobile phones to stay in touch with each other round the clock so that they can stay connected in emergency situations.
People residing in areas adjoining forests have been directed to not burn pastures in a 500-metre radius of the forests, the official said.
They have been requested to inform the control room of nearby fire incidents, he added.
“Climate change certainly has a role to play. If there are periodic showers in forests, trees and plants remain moist, reducing the possibility of fires. Small fires that occur in forests do not change the structure of the forest and the forest rejuvenates itself. However, if the frequency of these incidents remains as high as we are witnessing now, then it would be a problem. Also, in the months of April and May, people in the hills burn dry grass in the hopes of getting a better yield after the monsoons, triggering forest fires on several occasions,” said a senior scientist working in HP Agriculture University.
