In Graphics: How do forest fires like the one in Uttarakhand start?

Uttarakhand’s serene forests are ablaze once again.

Over 40 hectares of forest land were engulfed in flames as of Sunday, the forest department’s daily bulletin said. The blaze began on Friday and continued on Saturday with over 20 forest fires gutting 304.175 hectares of land. On Sunday, around eight new incidents of the inferno were reported as per officials.

Uttarakhand has had a staggering 606 forest fire cases since November last year, destroying over 700 hectares of forest land, as per the official data.

With raging fires, the Indian Air Force Mi-17 V5 helicopters, equipped with Bambi buckets capable of carrying 5,000 litres of water continued their efforts to douse the fire in Nainital and its vicinity.

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami surveyed the affected areas by air and urged swift action, rallying forest officials in Kumaon to combat the relentless blaze. He also directed officers to stay alert and restricted forest authorities from taking leaves until fires were extinguished.

The state is vulnerable to such disasters. The recurring forest fires in Uttarakhand serve as a poignant reminder of the global challenge posed by them.

But why do wildfires occur? And what is their impact on the environment?