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As towering flames engulfed Los Angeles in the last few weeks, reducing thousands of homes to rubble and scorching vast landscapes, the true scale of wildfire devastation comes into sharp focus. While this catastrophic event captures attention, another silent inferno has been unfolding half a world away.
As authorities issued an advisory in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday to prepare for the looming risk of forest fires, data shows that in the past five fire seasons alone, India has reported a staggering 11,09,588 forest fires. Each year, from November to June, forests across the country ignite, threatening ecosystems, wildlife, and livelihoods.
Forest fires in India
According to data from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change presented in the Rajya Sabha, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra have reported over one lakh forest fire incidents each in the last five forest fire seasons. Collectively, these four States accounted for 4,73,834 forest fires, which constitute approximately 43 per cent of the total forest fire incidents in India during this period.
Adding to this tally, Andhra Pradesh reported 81,003 forest fires, bringing the total count from these five states to nearly 50 per cent of India’s forest fire incidents over the last five seasons. Additionally, other states such as Telangana, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand have also recorded more than 50,000 forest fire incidents, highlighting the widespread and persistent challenge of forest fires across multiple regions in the country.
As per present assessment, the total forest and tree cover is 8,27,357 sq km, which is 25.17 per cent of the geographical area of the country. The total mangrove cover is 4,992 sq km. The top three States having the largest forest cover are Madhya Pradesh (77,073 sq km) followed by Arunachal Pradesh (65,882 sq km) and Chhattisgarh (55,812 sq km)
According to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021, over 36 per cent of the country’s forest cover is estimated to be vulnerable to frequent forest fires. Of this, 2.81 per cent is classified as extremely fire-prone, while 7.85 per cent falls under the very highly fire-prone category, highlighting the significant risk faced by India’s forests.
The ISFR 2023 further emphasises the critical role forests play in the livelihoods of millions, noting that around 275 million rural people in India depend on forests for their livelihood security. Communities residing near forested areas rely heavily on forests for Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) and a wide range of ecological services that sustain their daily lives and economic well-being.
Reasons for fires
The unsustainable exploitation of forest resources, coupled with increasing human activities, poses a significant threat to the delicate balance of forest ecosystems.
In regions across central, northern, and eastern India, the collection of tendu leaves (Diospyros melanoxylon) and mahua flowers (Madhuca longifolia) have emerged as a major factor contributing to forest fires. Additionally, across the country, an estimated 4.35 million hectares (Mha) of forest area is affected by fires resulting from shifting cultivation practices adopted by local farmers.
While forest fires have long been an integral part of natural forest ecosystems—playing a crucial role in facilitating regeneration and clearing organic debris—their adverse impacts far outweigh the benefits. The consequences are profound, leading to loss of human lives, depletion of biodiversity, habitat destruction, reduced agricultural productivity, landscape degradation and disruptions to local livelihoods.
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Published on January 24, 2025
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