UPSC Express

Major causes of Forest fires:

• Forest fires can occur because of both natural and man-made causes.
• Man-made causes contribute to 99% of forest fires in India. They are:
  • Attempts to encroach upon forest lands to convert them into agricultural land.
  • Fire caused by poachers and timber smugglers to destroy evidence of illegal activities.
  • Burning of waste in illegal dumps.
  • Shifting cultivation practice by the locals.
  • Tourist activities like camp-fire etc.

What needs to be done?

• Better monitoring of reserve forest areas.
• Keeping a close watch on fire-prone spots.
• Increase the current staff strength and train them according to the needs of the terrain.

Impact of Forest Fires:

• Loss of life.
• Changes to wildlife habitats.
• Fire changes the proportion, arrangement and characteristic of habitats across the landscape.
• Temporary loss of food and shelter causes displacement of territorial birds and mammals, upsetting the ecological balance.