Apart from high day temperatures and dry riverbeds, the prolonged dry spell has also left the Kashmir valley battling with forest fires in winter season.
According to officials in past one month more than 50 forest fires were reported in three forest circles of Kashmir -South, Srinagar and North, causing damage to trees, bushes. Most of the fires were reported in north and south divisions of the Valley. At least dozens of fires have been reported in the last 10 days across the valley.
In every forest division, the guards keep vigil round the clock on any smoke and have even sought help from locals to bring any incident of forest fire in their notice. Though the fires were brought under control by alert teams of forest department, the ground staff is praying for rain and snowfall that could put stop to these.
“This time our duty is very tough and we have to watch every corner of forests because the dry grass easily catches fire which spreads to different compartments of forest,” said a forest officer posted in Kehmil division. “Not only senior officers but ground staff has been asked to remain extra vigilant. We can’t sleep properly as there have been surge in forest fires,” he said adding that they have set up various control rooms to control there incidents.
Irfan Rasool, Conservator of Forests Kashmir said, due to rainfall and moisture in October and November there were very less incidents of forest fires. “The dry December and January has given rise to incidents of forest fires. Usually in December and January there used to be remote chances of forest fires due to rain and snow. Now there is spike in these incidents as there is no snow in the forests.”
{{/usCountry}}Irfan Rasool, Conservator of Forests Kashmir said, due to rainfall and moisture in October and November there were very less incidents of forest fires. “The dry December and January has given rise to incidents of forest fires. Usually in December and January there used to be remote chances of forest fires due to rain and snow. Now there is spike in these incidents as there is no snow in the forests.”
{{/usCountry}}He said there are many reasons for these forest fires. “Some times people lit fires in grass of the forests so next year they will get good fodder. There are other reasons for fires as well,” he informed.
Officials say that some fires spread while making charcoal in forests. “There is a notion among villagers after bush fire there are chances of good production of herbs and mushrooms, so villagers lit fire deliberately. Due to dryness it spreads in different compartments,” said a forest guard posted in Rajwar forests.
Irfan Rasool said there was a universal technology to keep forest fire from spreading into vast areas. “We put circles around the fire which prevents it from spreading. This is all done manually by our staff and local villagers.”
Jammu Kashmir disaster management authority (JKDMA) on Thursday also issued a pre fire warning alert about very high forest fire risk in the Valley for next seven days.
As per the figures of forest figures till November, 44 incidents of forest fire were recorded in Kashmir, 21 in south circle, 10 and 13 incidents in north and Srinagar circles respectively. However in December, 15 incidents were reported in south circle, one in Srinagar and 8 in North Circle. And in last 10 days alone in north circle 18 incidents of forest fires were reported which resulted in damage to in many compartments.
The officers say that earlier villagers used to come voluntarily to help the staff now situation has completely changed. “This time it takes lot of persuasion to get villagers into forests to control the fire,” said a range officer posted in Jehlum Valley forest division Baramulla.