Natural Disasters : Forest Fire

A forest fire, also known as a wildfire, bushfire, or vegetation fire, is defined as an uncontrolled and unprescribed combustion of plants in natural environments such as forests, grasslands, or brushlands.

Natural Causes
- Global warming
- Heat waves and solar flares
- Monoculture growth of forest. Eg. Pine forests in Uttarakhand are vulnerable to forest fires.
Anthropogenic Causes
- Deforestation
- Shifting agriculture

On Biodiversity: They can destroy habitats, kill or displace wildlife, and disrupt ecosystems. Some plant species may require fire for regeneration, but too frequent or intense fires can harm even these species.
On Environment: Forest fires release a significant amount of greenhouse gases, which contribute to climate change. They also release particulate matter and other pollutants that can harm air quality and human health.
Migration: Because of the frequency of forest fires, people are forced to relocate to safer places. This leads to desertification of villages and a strain on natural resources.
Human Health: Increased air pollution may harm people’s respiratory systems. It can also cause lung cancer, eye irritation, skin cancer, and other diseases.
Albedo: Large-scale forest fires release black carbon. Small black carbon particles are deposited on snow. And snow is the ideal medium for reflecting sunlight. Thus, melting snow alters snow albedo, which increases global warming.

Policy Integration – Incorporate forest fire management into national policies and planning frameworks.
Early Warning Systems – Strengthen fire detection, real-time monitoring, and forecasting using satellite data and GIS.
Risk Assessment & Mapping – Conduct vulnerability mapping to identify high-risk areas.
Community Involvement – Engage local communities, tribal groups, and volunteers in fire prevention and mitigation efforts.
Capacity Building & Training – Train forest officials, firefighters, and local volunteers on fire prevention and response.
Infrastructure & Equipment – Improve firefighting infrastructure, deploy modern equipment, and establish fire control units.
Public Awareness & Education – Launch campaigns to educate the public on fire hazards and encourage responsible behavior.
Inter-agency Coordination – Strengthen coordination between forest departments, disaster management authorities, and local governments.
Funding & Resources – Allocate dedicated financial resources for forest fire prevention, preparedness, and response.
Research & Best Practices – Document and implement best practices from national and international experiences.