Wildfires: A Natural Hazard
🔥 What is a Wildfire?
A wildfire is an uncontrolled combustion that rapidly spreads through vegetation (forest, grassland, or scrubland), consuming large areas.
While small fires are natural and help in forest regeneration, uncontrolled fires cause enormous ecological and economic loss.
🔹 Forest fires are nature’s way of recycling — but human interference turns them into disasters.
The Fire Triangle
A fire needs three elements to ignite and spread — the Fire Triangle:
| Component | Source |
| Fuel | Dry leaves, litter, grasses, shrubs, trees |
| Oxygen | Naturally available in atmosphere |
| Heat | Triggered by lightning, friction, volcanic activity, or human negligence |
So, in forests, fuel and oxygen are always available — ignition (heat) is the key.
⚙️ Causes of Wildfires
🌩️ Natural Causes
- Lightning strikes (most common natural trigger)
- Rolling stones/friction, dry bamboo rubbing
- Volcanic eruptions
- High temperature & low humidity in dry seasons
👨🌾 Anthropogenic (Human-Induced) Causes
Over 95% of forest fires in India are due to human activities.
| Type | Examples |
| Deliberate Fires | Shifting cultivation (Jhum), burning for fodder/tendu leaves, encroachment, hiding illicit felling |
| Accidental Fires | Campfires, burning crop residues, bidi/cigarette butts, sparks from vehicle exhaust, resin tapping |
⛰️ Role of Topography
- Slope effect: Fire spreads uphill faster than downhill because warm air and flames move upward.
- Aspect effect: South-facing slopes (in Northern Hemisphere) receive more sunlight → drier → more prone.
- Wind direction influences fire speed and direction.
🌳 Types of Forest Fires
| Type | Description | Severity |
| Surface Fire | Burns leaf litter, twigs, grasses on the forest floor | Common, moderate |
| Crown Fire | Burns treetops and spreads rapidly via canopy; often in coniferous forests (pine, deodar) | Very intense, destructive |
🇮🇳 Wildfire Risk in India
Extent of Vulnerability
- 54.4% of forests occasionally experience fires.
- 7.5% moderately frequent fires.
- 2.4% face high incidence (FRA 2019).
Regional Concentration
According to the MoEFCC–World Bank Report (2018) “Strengthening Forest Fire Management in India”:
- Fires occur in ~50% of districts across nearly all states.
- 20 districts (≈3% of India’s land area) account for 44% of fire detections (2003–2016).
High-Risk Zones
| Region | Forest Type | Vulnerability |
| Himalayan region (Uttarakhand, HP, J&K) | Coniferous (Pine, Deodar, Spruce) | Highly fire-prone (resin-rich) |
| Central India (MP, Chhattisgarh, Odisha) | Dry deciduous | Moderate to high |
| Northeast (Nagaland, Mizoram) | Shifting cultivation (Jhum) | Frequent human-induced fires |
| Southern India (TN, Kerala, Karnataka) | Dry deciduous + scrub | Seasonal fire risk |
💥 Impact of Wildfires
Environmental Impact
- Deforestation & biodiversity loss
- Soil erosion, nutrient loss, and altered hydrology
- Release of greenhouse gases (CO₂, CO, CH₄) → contributes to global warming
- Degradation of watersheds → floods, landslides, sedimentation
Economic & Social Impact
- Loss of timber, fodder, NTFPs, and livelihood for forest-dependent communities
- High firefighting costs for government
- Displacement of wildlife and damage to infrastructure
Health Impact
- Smoke causes respiratory illnesses, eye irritation, and long-term pulmonary issues due to PM₂.₅ emissions.
🛠️ Forest Fire Hazard Mitigation in India
1️⃣ Forest Fire Prevention & Management Scheme (FPM)
- Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS)
- Aim: Focus exclusively on forest fire prevention, detection, and management.
- Components:
- Awareness campaigns and training
- Community participation (Joint Forest Management Committees)
- Fire line creation and maintenance (traditional firebreaks)
- Modern equipment and communication networks
- Fire forecasting and early warning
2️⃣ Technological Interventions
| System | Developed By | Function |
| Pre-Warning Alert System (2016) | Forest Survey of India (FSI) | Predicts fire-prone zones using forest type, cover, climate variables |
| FAST 3.0 (2019) | FSI + ISRO + NASA (SNPP–VIIRS satellite) | Real-time forest fire detection and alert dissemination |
| Burnt Scar Assessment | FSI (IRS–AWiFS data) | Mapping & classification of burnt areas post-fire events |
📲 Alerts from FSI are sent to 40,000+ registered users (forest officers, local govts, communities) through SMS and web dashboards.
3️⃣ Traditional & Community-Based Measures
- Fire lines: Clearing vegetation along forest boundaries to stop fire spread.
- Controlled burning: Prevent accumulation of dry fuel.
- Community watch groups: Local volunteers alert and help in firefighting.
- Awareness drives: Use media, posters, school education, and local leaders.
4️⃣ Long-Term Strategies
- Integrate forest fire management in working plans.
- Institutionalise National Institute of Forest Fire Management.
- Develop strategic fire centres and fire research programmes.
- Link with climate change adaptation and carbon sequestration goals.
⚠️ Existing Challenges
1️⃣ Fragmented institutional framework — no single national-level coordinating agency.
2️⃣ Limited research — poor data on ignition sources, severity, and frequency.
3️⃣ Underutilisation of satellite data and new technology.
4️⃣ Poor community participation — villagers involved only reactively.
5️⃣ Funding & manpower shortage in state forest departments.
6️⃣ Lack of inter-ministerial coordination between MoEFCC, NDMA, ISRO, and local governments.
