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Climate Change: Andhra, Chhattisgarh Among The Most Prone States To High-Intensity Forest Fires
Writer: Ratika Rana
Her primary objective is to inform, promote, educate and cultivate readers through writing.
India, 8 April 2022 8:09 AM GMT
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Creatives : Ratika Rana
Her primary objective is to inform, promote, educate and cultivate readers through writing.
The frequency and intensity of forest fires, as well as the number of months in which such fires occur, have increased in the past two decades, according to a study released on Thursday by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).
Climate change is eventually taking the shape of reality in India and the world. The intensity, frequency, and number of months in which the fires have also increased in the last two decades. The study titled, 'Managing Forest Fires in a Changing Climate' by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) highlighted that more than 62 percent t of Indian states are prone to high-intensity forest fires. Moreover, forest fires in the last two decades have increased tenfold, and conditions like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand have only reported forest fires in the previous month.
Climate Change Resulting In Forest Fires
The recent fire in Rajasthan's Sariska Tiger Reserve was also unprecedented, and the rising temperatures further exacerbated the fire. The study also reported that, among other states, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra are the most prone to high-intensity forest fire events caused by rapid changes in the climate. In 2019, a report by the Forest Survey of India found that 36 percent of forest cover in India falls in zones prone to forest fires, The Indian Express reported.
A recent study by the CEEW reported that more than three-fourths of all Indian districts are extreme climate hotspots and more than 30 percent of communities are intense forest fire hotspots. Mizoram experienced the highest number of forest fires in the last two decades, and 95 percent of the districts are forest fire hotspots in the state. The study also found that Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Telangana, and northeastern states are most prone to forest fires.
As a result of climate change, due to the 'swapping effect', the previously flood-prone areas have now become drought-prone. The report recommended that the forest fires be considered 'natural disasters' under the ambit of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Also Read: Centre: 'No Deaths Due To Manual Scavenging', 161 Died Cleaning Sewers In Last 3 Years
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