Forest fires in the Western Himalayas have become widespread in recent years because, apart from shifting weather patterns, forest composition has also changed from broadleaf evergreen trees to dry fire-prone chir pine
The devastating forest fires of Uttarakhand have destroyed over 2,552 hectares of precious forest cover and threaten to severely impact the delicate Himalayan ecology. The calamitous event can have far-reaching consequences in the hilly region. Ecological experts have opined that the scale and intensity of the fire, and the resultant emission of black carbon, can prove detrimental to the Himalayan glaciers, causing them to melt faster.
Forest fires in the Western Himalayas have been common since 1984, but over the years, the number of fire incidents has increased, especially in Uttarakhand. Official data for the past three years shows that the area under forest fires has more than doubled this year. In 2014, it was 384.5 hectares while in 2015, it was 930.33 hectares. This year it has already touched 2,000 hectares. This notable increase can be attributed to the combined impact of drought conditions and the lack of adequate rains in April, leading to extreme dryness in the forests.
Making matters worse is the fact that nearly 16 per cent of the forests in Uttarakhand comprise of Chir pine trees that are prone to catching fire. Besides this, the forest floor is covered in highly combustible dry pine needles, thereby, creating an ideal setting for a blazing inferno.
But climate change alone may not be responsible for the increasing instances of forest fires. In 1981, the Government initiated a ban on the felling of green trees over 1,000 meters above sea-level. This eventually led to the adoption of ‘other’ methods of clearing up land to suit timber contractors and commercial builders.
The current crisis has brought to light the possible involvement of the timber mafia as well as the builder mafia in initiating the forest fires. This raises serious questions about the role played by the forest department and its inability to protect forest resources from being manipulated and destroyed.
Uttarakhand is referred to as dev bhoomi or the abode of gods. But the Government is not able to take care of its dwindling forest cover. This is reflected in the State of Forests Report 2015, which mentions Uttarakhand as one of the few States where forest cover has fallen substantially. These conditions highlight the ineptitude of the State Government in ensuring effective functioning of the forest department whose primary responsibility is to safeguard forest resources.
Years of disregard and unrestricted extraction of resources have severely depleted the Uttarakhand forests. This has led to a change in the composition of the forest cover from broadleaf-dominated humid evergreen trees to dry stands of chir pine, which, with its resin-rich leaf litter, becomes a veritable fire trap in the summers.
In addition, perennial water springs have dried up or become seasonal, leading to acute water shortages in upland villages. Wildlife has been exterminated as well, except for highly adaptable creatures like macaques and wild boar, which have shifted to agricultural fields for sustenance. This, in turn, has led to increased instances of man-animal conflict.
The last major forest fire in Uttarakhand occurred in 1996, but since then no lessons seem to have been learnt. Fire lines, introduced by the British in India, played a major role in averting forest fires. But in the present day, the State Government is not even able to release funds on time to the forest department for creating fire lines, especially post-March when the financial year ends. This coincides with the dry season and high temperatures during which most of the fires take place.
As increasing hectares of forest cover is consumed by fire, the afforestation efforts of the Government are also not effective enough to compensate for the lost cover. The authorities are also unable to resolve disputes between the forest department and local villagers over forest produce and resources. Unresolved disputes that reach a flashpoint eventually end up with the forest being set ablaze.
In order to prevent the complete destruction of forest resources in Uttarakhand, the Union Government needs to step in and take urgent measures. The National Green Tribunal too should take suo motu cognizance of the issue and pass required instructions to the State Government.
Forests can be made fire-resilient by changing their composition. Chir pine trees that dominate the forests today are not natural growth but have sprung up after previous forest fires, and are a fire hazard. Given the fact that a broadleaf forest is much more fire resilient, the authorities must undertake a systematic long-term replacement of pine trees with broadleaf coverage. This will be serve as an effective check against forest fires and also rejuvenate ground water resources.