Uttarakhand To Tamil Nadu: Parts Of India In Grip Of Forest Fires

Large parts of India, from the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand to southern regions such as Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, are witnessing a surge in forest fires as rising temperatures and prolonged dry conditions create favourable conditions for wildfires.

In Uttarakhand, forest fires have affected over 144 hectares of forest land in more than 220 incidents reported since mid-February , with the Garhwal region the worst affected . Fires have been reported in districts such as Bageshwar, Almora, Rudraprayag and Nainital, where smoke and haze are beginning to affect tourism in hill destinations ahead of the summer travel season.

Satellite monitoring has also detected fire hotspots in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha , indicating that the phenomenon is spreading across multiple climatic zones of the country.

In Tamil Nadu , fires have been reported in the Nilgiris near Pykara and Parsons Valley, threatening biodiversity-rich forests and raising concerns for tourism. Andhra Pradesh has recorded multiple alerts in Eastern Ghats districts such as Chittoor, Annamayya and Alluri Sitharama Raju, where dry leaf litter allows flames to spread quickly.

Telangana has reported periodic fires in forest areas including the Amrabad and Kawal tiger reserves, prompting authorities to deploy drones, watchtowers and rapid response teams. In Odisha , hotspots have appeared in forested belts of the Eastern Ghats and the Similipal landscape.

Further north, Jammu and Kashmir has also recorded hundreds of vegetation fire incidents in recent years affecting nearly 1,000 hectares of forest land.

Scientists link the surge partly to warming in the Pacific Ocean associated with El Niño conditions , which alters global atmospheric circulation, reduces rainfall and raises temperatures in parts of South Asia. The resulting dry vegetation, heatwaves and strong winds make forests highly combustible.

Authorities are relying on satellite-based monitoring and rapid response teams, warning that climate change could make wildfire seasons longer and more intense in the coming years.