If left uncontrolled, then forest fires in the country threaten to engulf India's dream to expand its forest and tree cover by 2030 to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tons of CO2 equivalent. Also, forest fires in India cause an annual loss of Rs 1,101 crore.
A joint report by the Union Environment Ministry and World Bank, which was released on Tuesday here, pointed out that every year, forest fires occur in around half of India's 647 districts and in nearly all the States with those in Northeast region accounting for the greatest share of fire detections. However, the largest area affected by fire is in the Central region, the report on 'Strengthening Forest Fire Management in India', noted.
Of the 1,41,747 forest fires between 2003 and 2016, 13,453 (9.49 per cent) occurred in Lunglei district of Mizoram alone. In central India, Gadhchiroli in Maharashtra had the largest area affected by forest fire - almost 4106 square kilometers and 8.24 per cent of the share of burnt area, followed by Bijapur in Chhattisgarh at 2,633 square kilometers (5.29 per cent) and Khammam in Telangana at 1923 square kilometers (3.86 per cent), said the report.
In India, one estimate shows that nearly 49,000 square kilometers of forests — an area larger than the size of Haryana — were burned in 2014 alone (a mild year compared to others in the recent past), it mentioned.
Percentagewise, just 20 districts (mostly located in the Northeast) account for over 40 percent of all forest fires detected between 2003 and 2016 while 20 districts (mainly in Central India) account for about 48 per cent of the total fire-affected area.
Besides seeking to understand how forest fires are deterring India's efforts to meet its climate change goals, the report also analysed patterns and trends of forest fires in India.
"Forest fires are a challenge across many countries. They lead to the loss of lives and livelihoods for people directly dependent on forest produce. This report discusses policies on forest fire prevention and management and underscores the need for better fire prevention practices and a well-equipped and trained workforce to fight fires," said Junaid Ahmad, World Bank Country Director in India.
After the release of the report, Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan called for "aggressive strategy" that can help in controlling forest fires.