SRINAGAR: Prolonged dry weather and limited snowfall have triggered widespread forest fires across Kashmir.
In recent days, South Kashmir has experienced a sharp rise in fire incidents, resulting in extensive damage to the green cover.
Officials said that over 20 forest fires have occurred in the past week, with 18 brought under control while the rest remain active.
“Massive forest fires have erupted in Tral due to dry vegetation, spreading to Pinglish and other areas. Fires have also been reported in Dadoo Marhama (Anantnag), Dachnipora (Pahalgam), and Khuwripora (Aishmuqam), affecting compartments 17, 21, 22, 50, and 58,” they said.
Large forested areas in Budroo, Sallar, Kullar, Dehvatoo, Mawoora, Grendwan, Reshkobal, Hapatnad, Wajoora, and Pendobal have also been impacted.
A blaze in Andoo-Shangus (Anantnag) was brought under control after strenuous efforts, while another fire continues to rage in compartments 63 and 64 in Kokernag. A fire in Compartment 34V, Check Watoo Block (Vasho Range, Kulgam), has also been contained.
Mudasir Mehmood, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Anantnag, told KNO that the Forest Department is actively working to extinguish the flames in the Kokernag range.
He said the department has the necessary equipment and has successfully controlled 80% of the fire.
Conservator of Forests (South Circle) Arshdeep Singh said that among South Kashmir’s four districts, Anantnag and Pulwama have been the most affected due to dry grass and the recent festival. He noted that human negligence during forest visits has contributed to the outbreak of fires.
When asked about the shortage of manpower and equipment in the forest department, Singh said, “This is not like a house fire that can be extinguished with a fire extinguisher. A forest fire spreads across large areas, and dryness, temperature, and winds make it a more dangerous emergency. Only traditional methods work in such situations. Our staff is working day and night to reach all affected sites. We manually control the fire by creating temporary fire lines and fire breaks. Sometimes, we tap it down, and it works. We also use technology, such as alerts from the Forest Survey of India, which provides satellite imagery every six hours to detect fire outbreaks. Our teams review and respond to these alerts accordingly.”
Singh also acknowledged the role of the media in spreading awareness about preventing forest fires. “We are identifying miscreants responsible for igniting the fires, and strict action will be taken against them. The government views this issue seriously, as forests are public property,” he said.
He reiterated that more than 20 fire incidents have occurred in the past week across South Kashmir’s four districts, with 18 controlled while the rest remain active.
Asked about the extent of damage caused by the fires, Singh said, “Normally, these are ground fires, where surface litter burns down. Large trees are not significantly affected due to their composition, though small saplings suffer damage. The department conducts surveys and plans future plantations in affected areas to replenish the green cover.” (KNO)
