India records over 11 lakh forest fire incidents in last five years: Ashwini Kumar Choubey

New Delhi: Over Eleven lakh forest fire incidents have been reported across India in the last five years, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ashwini Kumar Choubey informed in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

Presenting the data of State and UT-wise number of forest fires Mr. Ashwini Kumar Choubey said, “The report received from various State Governments, the forest fires are mostly ground fires that are sporadic and not enveloping large areas within the landscape”.

As per the government, a total of 2,12,249  forest fire incidents have been reported in the last year.

Out of the total cases, Odisha has reported the maximum number of forest fire incidents for 2022-23, standing at 33,461, Chhattisgarh 20,306, Andhra Pradesh, 19,367, Madhya Pradesh 17,142, Maharashtra 16,119 and Telangana has reported 13,117 cases.

The forest fire was detected by the Forest Survey of India, Dehradun using SNPP-VIIRS across the State and UTs. The Minister informed the house that no major incident of mortality of reptiles is reported in fire incidents.

“The fuel load in the majority of fire-prone areas are dried grasses, which quickly regenerate during monsoons. So far, no lasting damages are noticed due to forest fires resulting in migration of animals and birds from their habitats” he said.

Mr Choubey said the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has prepared a National Action Plan on Forest Fire to enhance the preparedness, control and response measures to tackle forest fires by state forest departments.

The National Action Plan prioritizes empowering forest fringe communities and incentivizing them to work in tandem with the Forest Departments to prevent and control forest fires.

He said that the Ministry supports the efforts of the States/ UTs in the prevention and control of forest fire by providing financial assistance under the Centrally Sponsored Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme, CAMPA, and under the Development of Wildlife Habitat schemes.

These schemes provide support to the state forest departments towards forest fire prevention and mitigation activities including, the creation and maintenance of fire lines, water conservation structures, procurement of firefighting equipment, awareness creation, and incentivizing village communities for protection against forest fire.