Pune With Maharashtra, including Pune, experiencing significantly above normal temperatures since January this year, there has been a considerable rise in forest fire incidents in the state. As per the Forest Survey of India’s (FSI’s) forest fire monitoring data, Maharashtra recorded 97 large forest fire incidents from January till date with at least 11 out of the forest fire incidents reported in the last 24 hours still in active mode. Given that the summer season is approaching and there is dry grass, such incidents are likely to increase in the coming days, forest officials said.
Deepak Pawar, assistant conservator of forests (ACF), Pune forest department, said, “Speaking about Pune, the maximum alerts we got from the FSI system were for forest fire incidents outside of or adjacent to forest areas. However, as there is considerable vegetation for at least two to three kilometres around the forest, the satellite considers it as the forest area and a warning is sent to the respective forest department as a forest fire threat. Moreover, if this fire spreads on a wide scale, it is a threat to the entire forest area so such an alarm is generated by the FSI system. Once we receive the warning message, our team visits the spot, carries out inspection, and appropriate action is taken if required.”
“Considering the possibility of a rise in forest fire incidents this summer, we have already given a February 15 deadline to all range forest officers to draw fire lines in their respective areas. Watch towers will be set up in areas identified as hotspots for forest fires, and manpower will be deployed at the respective forest range. Monitoring will be carried out with the help of the joint forest management committees,” Pawar said.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the average temperature in January this year was recorded as 31.3 degrees Celsius, which is 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than normal. With a maximum temperature of 35.9 degrees Celsius, Pune city set a record for the month of January. The average maximum temperature for Pune city in the first half of February was 34.4 degrees Celsius, which is the highest for the same period at least since 2014. Although the state temperature data is yet to be compiled, the daily temperature data shows that nearly all four meteorological subdivisions in Maharashtra have been experiencing above normal temperatures. According to S D Sanap, senior meteorologist from IMD Pune, the absence of strong northern cool winds resulted in a rise in temperature in Maharashtra. Higher temperatures have put green cover in the state at the risk of fire incidents and the FSI’s forest fire monitoring data has highlighted that the state recorded at least 97 large forest fire incidents from January till date.
The data also revealed that the country recorded 1,062 large forest fire incidents during the same period with Karnataka recording the highest number of such incidents (243), followed by Telangana (118), Andhra Pradesh (98), and Maharashtra (97) at fourth place.
Five acres of land singed in forest fire at Katraj hill
The assessment carried out by the Pune forest department at Katraj hill – where a large forest fire broke out on Saturday, February 15 – has revealed that at least five acres of land was scorched in the forest fire incident. This is the largest forest fire incident of the year till date. The department has registered a case against unknown persons under sections 26 (1), B, C, and D of the Indian Forest Act 1927. Suresh Varak, range forest officer of the Pune forest department said, “This can be considered as a major fire incident for this year so far. We have registered a case in this regard however it is very challenging to conduct further investigation as the area is adjoining the highway through which many people pass every day. There are no CCTV cameras available in this area so finding the people responsible for the forest fire will be very difficult for us.”
In earlier forest fire incidents, nearly one hectare of land was charred at Taljai Hill due to forest fires and in the Sinhagad fort area, nearly 2.5 hectares of forest area has been charred since January this year. Apart from these incidents, many small forest fire incidents have been reported from other areas of Pune district.
