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Forest Fires in India:
- Forest fire season: November to June, with peak activity in April-May.
- 36% of India’s forest cover is prone to fires, with 4% extremely prone (ISFR 2019).
- Northeast India, Odisha, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Uttarakhand are most vulnerable.
2023 Forest Fire Situation:
- Highest reports from Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya, and Maharashtra.
- Uptick is observed in Maharashtra’s Konkan belt, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Jharkhand.
- Southern states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu also affected.
- Contributory Factors for 2023 Fires in South India:
- Exceptional heat in February, hottest since 1901.
- Early availability of dry biomass due to above-normal temperatures in the past two months.
- Early onset of summer conditions.
- Excess Heat Factor (EHF) predictions indicate higher heatwave chances in western Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
- High temperatures (up to 40 degrees Celsius) in mid-March are unusual.
- Most southern districts are classified under ‘mild’ aridity due to lack of rain and high temperatures.
Impact and Prevention:
- Forest fires have devastating effects on biodiversity, air quality, and local climates.
- Preventive measures include stricter regulation on activities that could ignite fires and improved forest management practices to reduce vulnerability.
Why in News:
- South India’s forests are usually less vulnerable due to predominant evergreen or semi-evergreen vegetation. However, recent years saw increased wildfires in Tamil Nadu.
