More than 100 forest fire incidents have been reported in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district this season, affecting around 850 hectares of forest land, West Circle Rajouri Forest Conservator Sat Pal said on Sunday.
Speaking to ANI, Sat Pal said the forest department is continuously working to contain and control the fires, which have been fueled by the ongoing heatwave, dry weather conditions and the presence of highly flammable pine forests in the area.
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“When a forest fire occurs, try to put it out immediately. The first few minutes are the most crucial. Since our staff and resources often take time to reach remote or mountainous areas, I urge people, especially those who travel or move during summer, to be careful. Please avoid disposing of things like bidis or cigarettes,” Sat Pal told ANI.
He appealed to citizens to quickly alert the authorities in the event of any forest fire and to help prevent the spread of the fire. “If you encounter a fire, try to contain it immediately and inform the administration,” he said.
The Conservator said the department is increasingly relying on technology for early detection of wildfires.
“We are receiving great help from detection technology. The Forest Survey of India (Dehradun) has recorded the contact details of our staff. As soon as a fire occurs in their area, we immediately receive the location coordinates and a fire alert,” he said.
However, he noted that access to the affected areas remains a major challenge due to the difficult terrain of the area and the lack of roads in many locations.
He added, “The real challenge lies in reaching the site and controlling the fire, especially since some remote areas lack access to roads.”
Highlighting the vulnerability of the area, Sat Pal said Rajouri consists of two forest sections spread across a vast mountainous area dominated by pine forests, which is highly vulnerable to fire.
“Rajori consists of two forest sections and covers a vast mountainous area that is highly vulnerable to forest fires. This is largely because the forests here mainly consist of pine trees,” he said.
He also stated that while the department is making every effort to reduce the impact of forest fires, some damage to wildlife habitats cannot be avoided. He added: “There is no doubt that there is some damage to wildlife and bird nests in certain areas, and we are striving to minimize these losses as much as possible. Weather conditions play an important role in this.”
The Forest Department reaffirmed its commitment to protecting forest resources and sought public cooperation to combat the growing threat of forest fires in the region.
