Mubashir Alam Wani
Srinagar, Feb 11: Jammu and Kashmir witnessed around 4-5 forest fire incidents in the past 30 days, however, the timely alerts and swift action by authorities helped to contain the damage, said officials.
A top officer from the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) said that while the exact number of reported forest fire cases was yet to be compiled, preliminary data suggested that timely alerts helped minimise damage.
The top officer stated that the two major alerts received in the last month led to quick responses from District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs), Fire and Emergency Services, and other concerned agencies. “Thanks to the alerts, the response time was swift, ensuring that there was no loss of life. However, there has been damage to vegetation and the ecosystem,” the official said.
He said the alerts were issued through an integrated portal of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), which consolidated inputs from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Forest Survey of India (FSI), Geological Survey of India (GSI), and other agencies. The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) then disseminated this information to district-level responders.
The officer added that the high-risk zones, including Rajouri, Poonch, and Shankaracharya forests, were already mapped in advance, allowing authorities to focus resources on vulnerable areas.
As per the officials, the forest fire vulnerability is dynamic and changes with climatic conditions, requiring constant monitoring and updates.
