There were 30 fire alerts on the first day and more than 50 fire alerts on the second day in the state.
Jagran correspondent, Haldwani. Fire season has officially started in the state. In the first two days itself, the Forest Department has received fire alerts at more than 80 places across the state. The most worrying thing is that by the beginning of the fire season this year, 42 hectares of forests have been burnt across the state. In such a situation, saving the forests from fire till the onset of monsoon is going to be a big challenge for the forest department.
Every year from 15th February to 15th June is considered as fire season in the state. With increasing heat, incidents of fire in forests also increase. The year 2024 was worse for Uttarakhand in terms of forest fire. In 2024, Uttarakhand had come to the first position in terms of forest fire. After this, many steps were taken to stop forest fire. But, there is still a big challenge for the forest fire department.
On top of this, there has been less rain and snowfall in winter this year, due to which there is less moisture in the forests. According to the figures of the Forest Department, from November 2025 till now, fires broke out at 54 places in the state, in which more than 42 hectares of forests were burnt. Between November 2025 and January 2026, the department received 1957 forest fire alerts, but the department considers most of them to be false. He says that only 132 (6.75 percent) forest fire alerts were received correctly on the spot.
On the very first day, a fire broke out in the forests of Silkhaur in Lamgada of Almora and Bajuda in Hawalbagh. Similarly, more than 80 fire alerts were received in the entire state, but the Forest Department did not consider them as forest fire. On the first day, no case of forest fire has been registered in any division on the department's website.
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When will the department implement these suggestions? Experts have already given many important suggestions to prevent forest fires. Environmentalist Ajay Rawat had suggested that bonfires and campfires be banned in hotels and resorts. Forest fire should be included in the national disaster management policy. Rangers and above officers in the Forest Department should continuously monitor the forests. Fire watchers received respectable honorarium on time.
DFO should maintain a diary based on information about each compartment of the forests. DFO level officers should increase contact with villagers and work seriously towards increasing public awareness for forest fire control. It is a big question when the Forest Department will work on these suggestions.
On receiving fire alert the team goes to the spot. Many of these are fault alerts. The department is fully prepared for forest fire control. Fire watchers have been recruited.
- Sushant Patnaik, Chief Forest Conservator, Disaster and Forest Fire Management
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