<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" >

	<channel>
		<title>Mongabay India</title>
		<atom:link href="https://india.mongabay.com/feed/?topic=forest-fires&#038;type=post" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
		<link>https://india.mongabay.com/list/forest-fires/</link>
		<description>India&#039;s environmental science and conservation news</description>
		<lastBuildDate>Thu, 01 Oct 2026 06:55:56 +0000</lastBuildDate>
		<language>en-US</language>
		<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
		<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
		<generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.5</generator>
				<item>
					<title>Rising temperatures, not just human activity, drives Himalayan forest fires</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/rising-temperatures-not-just-human-activity-drives-himalayan-forest-fires/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/rising-temperatures-not-just-human-activity-drives-himalayan-forest-fires/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>25 Jun 2026 14:28:02 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[temperature rise]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/06/25132719/AP22143608738141-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=38810</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Himalayas and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Environment, Fires, Forest Fires, Forests, Himalayas, Impacts of Climate Change, and Mountains]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Forest fires in the Himalayas typically occur between November and June, during the drier months. However, out-of-season and higher elevation fires have sparked concerns about their effective management in a changing climate. A new study from the Western Himalayas provides more clues into the underlying factors driving forest fires in the region. A higher frequency [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Forest fires in the Himalayas typically occur between November and June, during the drier months. However, out-of-season and higher elevation fires have sparked concerns about their effective management in a changing climate. A new study from the Western Himalayas provides more clues into the underlying factors driving forest fires in the region. A higher frequency of forest fires was associated with a decline in floristic diversity and the promotion of fire-dominant plant species in Uttarakhand — the most fire-prone state in the Indian Western Himalayas, according to the Forest Survey of India. Fires in the Himalayas are also particularly worrisome because they threaten to erode carbon stocks. Including the Eastern Himalayas, the Himalayan forests are estimated to hold 3,273.1 million tonnes of carbon. For the Western Himalaya study, researchers from the Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, and Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, considered a host of bioclimatic, anthropogenic, and topical variables that could influence forest fire dynamics in the region. “What we tried to do was study 10 years of past data to understand how these variables interact with each other.  Temperature had the biggest edge out of all of them,” said Amit Kumar Verma, a senior technical officer and faculty member with the Forest Research Institute (FRI) who authored the study. Adding fuel to fire The study’s findings add to a growing body of evidence of forests’ sensitivity to environmental fluctuations — and temperature in particular. Though most forest fires are triggered by human activity in India, every one degree&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/rising-temperatures-not-just-human-activity-drives-himalayan-forest-fires/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/06/rising-temperatures-not-just-human-activity-drives-himalayan-forest-fires/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Could wildfires in Canada have affected India’s monsoon? New research suggests it’s possible</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/05/could-wildfires-in-canada-have-affected-indias-monsoon-new-research-suggests-its-possible/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/05/could-wildfires-in-canada-have-affected-indias-monsoon-new-research-suggests-its-possible/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>01 May 2026 20:23:32 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Simrinsirur]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[monsoon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rainfall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildfires]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/05/01185702/Mumbai_monsoon-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=37997</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Extreme Weather Events, and Forest Fires]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[When the worst recorded wildfires ripped through Canada in 2023, scientists didn’t expect to see its effects take shape in far corners of the world. Yet, the magnitude of the disaster was so large that it may have interfered with atmospheric circulation systems thousands of kilometers away – in India. “When we started this research, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[When the worst recorded wildfires ripped through Canada in 2023, scientists didn’t expect to see its effects take shape in far corners of the world. Yet, the magnitude of the disaster was so large that it may have interfered with atmospheric circulation systems thousands of kilometers away – in India. “When we started this research, we didn’t set out to see what the impacts would be on the Indian monsoon. It just happened during our simulations,” said Iulian-Alin Roşu, a post doctoral researcher at the Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment and Climate Change, Technical University of Crete, who simulated the global impacts of the wildfire emissions using a climate model. The wildfires in Canada raged from May to July, engulfing 15 million hectares of land and emitting almost almost 480 megatons of carbon and 10,700 kilotons of particulate matter (PM2.5). These smoke particles and aerosols were transported across continents and oceans, causing a direct impact on air quality in Canada, the United States, and parts of Europe. Roşu and his co-authors found that the aerosols from the wildfires could have contributed to atmospheric cooling over the northern hemisphere, by blocking the sun’s radiation into Earth. This same cooling effect, extending to the northern Arabian Sea, could have contributed to a “pronounced low-level pressure anomaly over the Asian continent” which weakened monsoonal winds over India in August 2023. The study was published in the Natural Hazards journal in February. What caused dryness in August 2023? As the wildfires abated in Canada, India&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/05/could-wildfires-in-canada-have-affected-indias-monsoon-new-research-suggests-its-possible/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/05/could-wildfires-in-canada-have-affected-indias-monsoon-new-research-suggests-its-possible/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Winter forest fires signal a shift in fire season</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/04/winter-forest-fires-signal-in-shift-in-fire-season/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/04/winter-forest-fires-signal-in-shift-in-fire-season/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>01 Apr 2026 10:25:48 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Farzana Nisar]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[snow]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Temperate Forests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[temperature rise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[winter]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/03/31153729/Image-6-e1774952437827-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=37544</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Jammu and Kashmir]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Environment, Fires, Forest Fires, Forests, Himalayas, and Mountains]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[On a February evening, a blaze spread across the forested slopes of the Zabarwan mountains overlooking Srinagar, casting a faint glow along the ridges. For many residents, this sight of forests burning in the middle of winter was unsettling, and unusual. Fires are now being reported in Kashmir in December and January, months that were [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[On a February evening, a blaze spread across the forested slopes of the Zabarwan mountains overlooking Srinagar, casting a faint glow along the ridges. For many residents, this sight of forests burning in the middle of winter was unsettling, and unusual. Fires are now being reported in Kashmir in December and January, months that were once largely considered fire-free. Forest fires in Kashmir are typically associated with the warmer months when dry vegetation and rising temperatures fuel their spread. Winter, by contrast, has kept the forest damp with snow. However, there seems to be a shift in this pattern. In recent months, forest fire incidents have been reported across several parts of Kashmir, from northern districts to central and southern forest belts. Satellite-based fire alerts and official records also suggest the problem is growing. According to Irfan Rasool Wani, Chief Conservator of Forests, Kashmir, changing winter conditions are making forests more vulnerable to fires. “There has been a deficit in precipitation from around 2020 onwards,” he said. “Because of this, conditions are becoming increasingly favourable for winter fires.” He explained that the winter months normally bring moisture that keeps forest floors damp. “December to February is usually the period when we expect rainfall or snowfall. But when precipitation is low, the forest floor dries out,” he added. “Dry grass and accumulated leaf litter then become a medium for fire, and even a small spark, such as a cigarette butt, can trigger a blaze.” A forest fire rages across Zabarwan hills&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/04/winter-forest-fires-signal-in-shift-in-fire-season/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/04/winter-forest-fires-signal-in-shift-in-fire-season/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Decades of warming and shifting rains are reshaping India&#8217;s central forests</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/decades-of-warming-and-shifting-rains-are-reshaping-indias-central-forests/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/decades-of-warming-and-shifting-rains-are-reshaping-indias-central-forests/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>13 Mar 2026 17:58:57 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Simrinsirur]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biosphere reserves]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[erratic weather]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[heavy rainfall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rainfall]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/03/13160820/AP22341272160717-crop-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=37270</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Madhya Pradesh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Deforestation, Forest Fires, Forests, Global Warming, Temperate Forests, and Trees]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Over decades, the tropical deciduous forests of central India have weathered the impacts of a quietly changing climate. New research sheds light on the extent to which long-term changes in temperature and precipitation transformed a protected area in Madhya Pradesh, in addition to the anthropogenic pressures caused by tree felling, extraction, and grazing. The forests [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Over decades, the tropical deciduous forests of central India have weathered the impacts of a quietly changing climate. New research sheds light on the extent to which long-term changes in temperature and precipitation transformed a protected area in Madhya Pradesh, in addition to the anthropogenic pressures caused by tree felling, extraction, and grazing. The forests of central India occupy a vast landscape, stretching over an area of more than 40,837 square kilometres across Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh. Though famed for having a robust tiger population, this region is also home to some of the country’s largest contiguous forested tracts. The Panchmarhi Biosphere Reserve (PBR) sits at the heart of this landscape. Researchers from the Central University of Jharkhand and Banaras Hindu University analysed 50 years of climate data and examined its relationship with the PBR, which is also facing pressures from encroachments and extraction. Between 1972 and 2020, the PBR lost approximately 13% of its forest cover, amounting to 391 sq km. “We couldn’t find some of the areas that had been recorded as forest patches in 1972, because by 2020, they had either turned into scrub forests or been converted into other types of land use,” said Amit Kumar, professor at Banaras Hindu University and a co-author of the study. “We also realised that it wasn’t just the impacts of anthropogenic pressures that caused this shift.” Researchers analysed 50 years of climate data and examined its relationship with Panchmarhi Biosphere Reserve, which is also facing pressures from encroachments&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/decades-of-warming-and-shifting-rains-are-reshaping-indias-central-forests/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/03/decades-of-warming-and-shifting-rains-are-reshaping-indias-central-forests/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>How frequent forest fires can lead to ecosystem changes</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/how-frequent-forest-fires-can-lead-to-ecosystem-changes/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/how-frequent-forest-fires-can-lead-to-ecosystem-changes/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Feb 2026 12:23:04 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[T. V. Padma]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fires]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Forest Fires]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[forests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildfires]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2026/02/24120901/AP19151430145770-e1771915189900-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=36984</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections and India's Iconic Landscapes]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Forest Fires and Forests]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Concerns about rising forest fires in India, with reports of Himalayan forests catching fires outside their typical season, are supported by recent research from India’s biodiversity hotspots, the Himalayas and Western Ghats, which warn of their ecosystem-level impacts. Scientists in India are increasingly reporting about the potential risk to ecosystems caused by more frequent forest [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Concerns about rising forest fires in India, with reports of Himalayan forests catching fires outside their typical season, are supported by recent research from India’s biodiversity hotspots, the Himalayas and Western Ghats, which warn of their ecosystem-level impacts. Scientists in India are increasingly reporting about the potential risk to ecosystems caused by more frequent forest fires. These include two recent studies, one in the western Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, in the journal Trees Forests and People, and research on the impacts on a savannah system, using the example of Satyamangala Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghats, published in the journal Next Sustainability. A separate September 2025 study in Environmental Sciences Europe says the forest fire season has expanded in India, with events occurring during the dry pre-monsoon period from February to June, peaking in March and April. Spatial patterns indicate an increased vulnerability to forest fires due to dense forest cover and increasing climatic variability, in central India, the Himalayan foothills, the Western Ghats, and the Eastern Ghats, it says. Another 2024 report in Frontiers in Forests and Global Change describes loss of carbon stocks due to forest fires in Uttarakhand. A forest fire in Uttarkashi in 2016. Image by PJeganathan via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). The recent Uttarakhand study in Trees Forests and People, “moves beyond general observations by providing precise, depth-wise quantification of nutrient loss across different forest types,” says Himanshu Bargali, scientist studying the economics of ecosystems and biodiversity under a UNEP-funded project at the Indian Institute&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/how-frequent-forest-fires-can-lead-to-ecosystem-changes/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2026/02/how-frequent-forest-fires-can-lead-to-ecosystem-changes/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>LPG adoption correlates with higher green cover, finds study</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/lpg-adoption-correlates-with-higher-green-cover-finds-study/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/lpg-adoption-correlates-with-higher-green-cover-finds-study/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>05 Dec 2025 17:24:01 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Simrin Sirur]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Simrinsirur]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[firewood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[liquefied natural gas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LPG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rural India]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/12/05170937/Rajasthan_carrying_firewood-e1764934835586-768x476.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=35916</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Jharkhand]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Clean Energy, Conservation, Ecology, Energy, Environment, Forest Fires, Forests, and Green Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In the forested state of Jharkhand, switching to liquified petroleum gas (LPG) could have inadvertently driven a trend of greening across the state, a new study based on satellite data, and ground surveys says. LPG has long been touted as a tool to prevent deforestation by reducing dependence on firewood for fuel. The study from [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In the forested state of Jharkhand, switching to liquified petroleum gas (LPG) could have inadvertently driven a trend of greening across the state, a new study based on satellite data, and ground surveys says. LPG has long been touted as a tool to prevent deforestation by reducing dependence on firewood for fuel. The study from Jharkhand presents a state-wide snapshot of this potential benefit, showing that green cover rose significantly with the proliferation of LPG, despite environmental drivers remaining stable. The study, published by researchers from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, suggests the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) government scheme had a “noticeable effect at the provincial scale, emphasizing that such beneficial schemes are not only helpful to people but also promote responsible ecosystem stewardship.” The scheme provides free LPG connections and subsidised refill cylinders for rural households below the poverty line. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Trees, Forests and People in September, the study builds on other research that has found LPG use to decrease firewood dependence. Correlations in green cover and LPG use Jharkhand was chosen as the study site because of three main reasons: Most of its population lives in rural areas, it has a high percentage of forest cover (approximately 30%, according to the Forest Survey of India), and its rural population has low LPG use compared to other states. “I’ve been in touch with the Jharkhand forest department since 2015, and what sparked my interest in&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/lpg-adoption-correlates-with-higher-green-cover-finds-study/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/12/lpg-adoption-correlates-with-higher-green-cover-finds-study/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Fallen pine needles could help India cut carbon emissions</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/08/fallen-pine-needles-could-help-india-cut-carbon-emissions/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/08/fallen-pine-needles-could-help-india-cut-carbon-emissions/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>21 Aug 2025 11:32:19 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Vandana K.]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biofuel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Biofuels]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pine]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/08/21102530/Pinus_wallichiana_at_VanDusen_Botanical_Garden-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=34251</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Just Transitions]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Himalayas and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Alternative energy, Coal, Energy, Fires, Forest Fires, and Green Energy]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Every year, an estimated 7.47 million tonnes of pine needles fall across the Indian Himalayan region, creating a fire hazard that climate change is making deadlier. A new study shows these needles could instead become fuel, replacing 4.7 million tonnes of coal and generating electricity to power the region. Pine needle biochar can be co-fired [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Every year, an estimated 7.47 million tonnes of pine needles fall across the Indian Himalayan region, creating a fire hazard that climate change is making deadlier. A new study shows these needles could instead become fuel, replacing 4.7 million tonnes of coal and generating electricity to power the region. Pine needle biochar can be co-fired with coal in power plants across Himalayan states — to generate 6.4 terawatt-hours of electricity and cut carbon emissions by 5.8 million tonnes annually, while reducing forest fires, according to the study. The findings are from a research paper published in the journal Bioresource Technology Reports in March 2025 by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi. The study addresses a serious concern across the region. Uttarakhand alone recorded over 11,000 forest fire incidents from November 2023 to June 2024. The scientists found that pine needle biochar produced at 600°C with 10°C per minute heating rate shows good potential for coal replacement, because of its high carbon content. The findings of this study could be used to create new jobs and solve frequent forest fires while drastically reducing the share of coal in power plants, in line with India&#8217;s net-zero targets by 2070. “The novel aspect of the research is linking biochar production to power plants and quantifying carbon benefits,” said Priyanka Kaushal, professor at the Centre for Rural Development and Technology at IIT Delhi. She explained the dual benefits of using pine needle biochar &#8212; “One is replacing the dirty fossil coal&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/08/fallen-pine-needles-could-help-india-cut-carbon-emissions/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/08/fallen-pine-needles-could-help-india-cut-carbon-emissions/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Fire in the mountain sparks debate on jhum safety</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/06/fire-in-the-mountain-sparks-debate-on-jhum-safety/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/06/fire-in-the-mountain-sparks-debate-on-jhum-safety/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>26 Jun 2025 15:42:02 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Barasha Das]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Arathimenon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Northeast India]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildfires]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/06/26151215/Lone_Reaper-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=33337</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Mizoram]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Fires, and Forest Fires]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In March this year, a fire raged through Mizoram’s Phawngpui National Park, one of the state’s most critical biodiversity hotspots, for 17 consecutive days. According to the Forest Survey of India (FSI), the blaze erupted at 19 different locations within the park, charring nearly one-ninth of its 50 square kilometre-area. Among the most affected zones [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In March this year, a fire raged through Mizoram’s Phawngpui National Park, one of the state’s most critical biodiversity hotspots, for 17 consecutive days. According to the Forest Survey of India (FSI), the blaze erupted at 19 different locations within the park, charring nearly one-ninth of its 50 square kilometre-area. Among the most affected zones were the northern slope of Mount Phawngpui, Mizoram’s highest peak, and the ecologically significant Far Pak grasslands. The fire was traced back to slash-and-burn activities at a jhum cultivation site near Archhuang, a village located close to the Park’s boundary. According to the Deputy Conservator of Forests for the Chhimtuipui Wildlife Division (Lawngtlai), R. Lalruatfela, at the time of the incident, the forest floor had developed a thick layer of humus due to the absence of any controlled burning or natural fires over the past five to six years. “This build-up fuelled the fire. Fortunately, there were no wildlife casualties and natural regeneration is picking up in the affected areas,” he informs Mongabay India. Creating fire lines is crucial and remains the only method known to effectively prevent fires from spreading from jhum fields into forest areas, according to Lalruatfela. “In this case, the Archhuang Village Council failed to create firebreaks and implement the mandatory preventive measures before igniting the fields. It has been penalised ₹1 lakh under the Wildlife (Protection) Act,” he points out. Grasslands in Mizoram’s Phawngpui National Park, one of the state’s most critical biodiversity hotspots. Earlier this year, a fire blazed here&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/06/fire-in-the-mountain-sparks-debate-on-jhum-safety/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/06/fire-in-the-mountain-sparks-debate-on-jhum-safety/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Wildfires rage amid dry weather and heat waves</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/wildfires-rage-amid-dry-weather-and-heat-waves/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/wildfires-rage-amid-dry-weather-and-heat-waves/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>23 Apr 2025 14:57:35 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Max Martin]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Heat impacts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[heat waves]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/04/22190055/Fire_on_dry_pond-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=32313</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections and The Indian Forest Story]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Climate Change Adaptation, Fires, and Forest Fires]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Following an unusually dry winter and early heat waves, many forests across India’s northern mountains and central plains are ablaze. Experts warn that shifting climate patterns combined with human activity are driving longer, more intense wildfire seasons, with growing ecological and climatic fallout. Since early April, satellite data from the Forest Survey of India (FSI) [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Following an unusually dry winter and early heat waves, many forests across India’s northern mountains and central plains are ablaze. Experts warn that shifting climate patterns combined with human activity are driving longer, more intense wildfire seasons, with growing ecological and climatic fallout. Since early April, satellite data from the Forest Survey of India (FSI) has recorded thousands of forest fire incidents, with the central state of Madhya Pradesh reporting the highest number — 2,754 incidents between April 11 and 18. Maharashtra followed with 1,766 fires, Chhattisgarh with 876, and Odisha with 603. These figures mark a continuation of a broader trend. Since November 1, 2024, Madhya Pradesh has recorded more than 21,000 fires. Nationwide, fire alerts peaked in March with over 84,000 incidents. Meanwhile, fires have also been reported in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand in the north. The fires are degrading forests, threatening biodiversity, and accelerating desertification, FSI scientists note. “A dry winter sets the stage, but there are different reasons for fires in different regions,” said Sunil Chandra, deputy director at FSI, while talking to Mongabay India. While it is hard to determine the triggers of individual fire events, foresters in India and several studies say that 90% of the fires are started by human beings. “People living on the fringes of the forests and communities dependent on forests often start them,” Chandra said. A forest fire in Bomdila, Arunachal Pradesh. Experts warn that shifting climate patterns combined with human activity are driving longer, more&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/wildfires-rage-amid-dry-weather-and-heat-waves/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/04/wildfires-rage-amid-dry-weather-and-heat-waves/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Wildfires and the forgotten science of community forest management [Commentary]</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/02/wildfires-and-the-forgotten-science-of-community-forest-management-commentary/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/02/wildfires-and-the-forgotten-science-of-community-forest-management-commentary/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>25 Feb 2025 12:41:03 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Pranab R. ChoudhuryRanjan Kumar Ghosh]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[community conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Forest Fires]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[forest management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[indigenous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[indigenous knowledge]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildfires]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2025/02/25111955/DSC4014-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=31618</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Fires, Forest Fires, Forestry, and Indigenous Peoples]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[California’s wildfires are getting worse each year. Beyond the smoke, however, a deeper crisis is unfolding: the loss of community stewardship. Indigenous communities in California once managed forests through controlled burning, preventing fuel build-up. Controlled burns were used to clear underbrush and promote healthy forest growth. But modern forestry practices, globally, have outlawed these practices [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[California’s wildfires are getting worse each year. Beyond the smoke, however, a deeper crisis is unfolding: the loss of community stewardship. Indigenous communities in California once managed forests through controlled burning, preventing fuel build-up. Controlled burns were used to clear underbrush and promote healthy forest growth. But modern forestry practices, globally, have outlawed these practices and disrupted the ecological balance. The current ‘scientific’ fire suppression policies allow dead matter to accumulate, creating a tinderbox that ignites with devastating consequences. Restoring community stewardship is the key to preventing future disasters. Community forestry in India has good examples of this type of stewardship. Modern forestry and the disconnect from nature Shaped by colonial and industrial paradigms, we often view forests as fortressed static entities. We see them as zones of timber extraction, wildlife conservation, or carbon sequestration; and believe that giving local communities individual forest rights (IFR) would lead to deforestation. The extant belief is that forest people will prioritise economic gains over ecological balance. The reality, however, is far more nuanced. Traditional communities that have lived in forests for generations possess, more often than not, a symbiotic relationship with the land. Care is deeply ingrained and reinforced by adaptive ecological sensibilities accumulated and passed down through centuries. By excluding these communities from forest and its management and by downgrading them to the role of forest labour, we have disrupted this delicate balance. Wherever Europeans settled, whether California or Australia, indigenous peoples were removed from forests. This led to the erasure of&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2025/02/wildfires-and-the-forgotten-science-of-community-forest-management-commentary/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2025/02/wildfires-and-the-forgotten-science-of-community-forest-management-commentary/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Uttarakhand forests burn while fire guards face outstanding salaries and lack of resources</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/08/uttarakhand-forests-burn-while-fire-guards-face-outstanding-salaries-and-lack-of-resources/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/08/uttarakhand-forests-burn-while-fire-guards-face-outstanding-salaries-and-lack-of-resources/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>05 Aug 2024 13:26:47 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Megha Prakash]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[forest fire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[forests]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2024/08/05104243/The-smoke-from-the-forest-fire-deterioates-air-quality-e1722834813394-768x512.jpeg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=28864</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Beyond Protected Areas]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India and Uttarakhand]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Forest Fires and Forests]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[This year, forest fires were reported from almost all districts of Uttarakhand. Fires scorched forests of many districts in both the administrative units in the state — Garhwal and Kumaon. In the Garhwal unit, forest fires were reported from Uttarkashi, Pauri, Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Dehradun. In the Kumaon division, such incidents were recorded in Almora, [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[This year, forest fires were reported from almost all districts of Uttarakhand. Fires scorched forests of many districts in both the administrative units in the state — Garhwal and Kumaon. In the Garhwal unit, forest fires were reported from Uttarkashi, Pauri, Rudraprayag, Chamoli and Dehradun. In the Kumaon division, such incidents were recorded in Almora, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh and Udham Singh Nagar. Fires occurred in 11 of the state’s 13 districts. According to the Uttarakhand Forest Department, a total of 11,256 incidents of forest fires were recorded in the state between November 23, 2023 and June 19, 2024. A forest fire in Binsar, near Almora in Uttarakhand, in January. Image by dr ashok kolluru via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0). Cause and effect Environmental factors contributing to the sudden increase in wildfires include decline in rainy days and rising temperatures. From capital city Dehradun to other districts in both the plains and hills, temperatures crossed 40 degrees Celsius this year. Meteorologists say that the active El Niño this year is one of the reasons for irregular rain and snowfall. El Niño is the marine phenomenon responsible for changes in ocean temperature and atmospheric conditions in the equatorial region of the tropical Pacific. Due to this change, the sea surface temperature becomes much higher than normal. There’s also a lack of moisture in the upper forest areas which have contributed to the increased cases of forest fires. According to GCS Negi, Joint Secretary of Nainital-based Central Himalayan Environment Association (CHEA), in the last&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2024/08/uttarakhand-forests-burn-while-fire-guards-face-outstanding-salaries-and-lack-of-resources/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/08/uttarakhand-forests-burn-while-fire-guards-face-outstanding-salaries-and-lack-of-resources/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Converting pine needles from a fire risk into a livelihood opportunity</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/04/converting-pine-needles-from-a-fire-risk-into-a-livelihood-opportunity/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/04/converting-pine-needles-from-a-fire-risk-into-a-livelihood-opportunity/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>01 Apr 2024 13:18:36 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Hirra Azmat]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Kundan Pandey]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Access to clean energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bioenergy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chir pine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[forest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[forest commons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[forest fire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pine]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2024/03/01084948/Pine-needles-being-collected-from-the-forest-floor-at-Sunderbani-forests-Nowshera-Forest-Division-e1711949814516-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=27132</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Innovations]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India and Jammu and Kashmir]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Biodiversity, Energy, Forest Fires, Forests, and Industry]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[As the first rays of the spring sun touch the tall chir pine trees (Pinus roxburgii) in the dense forests of Sunderbani in Jammu, residents living near the jungle, also get ready to spring into action. They strap on a long cloth called palle in the Dogri language, and several groups comprising both men and [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[As the first rays of the spring sun touch the tall chir pine trees (Pinus roxburgii) in the dense forests of Sunderbani in Jammu, residents living near the jungle, also get ready to spring into action. They strap on a long cloth called palle in the Dogri language, and several groups comprising both men and women leave their hutments to collect the dry pine needles (locally known as sarmoye) scattered across the forest floor. “From April till the end of June, we collect these slender pine needles. It helps us generate an income, as the needles are used to create bio briquettes (bio-fuel) and handicrafts,” shared Doulat Ram Uppal, a resident of Sunderbani who leads a self-help group of ten people. In Jammu and Kashmir, subtropical pine forests account for 16.40% of the total forest cover and are predominantly distributed over the Shivalik range of the Himalayas. Further, the area under chir pine forest in Jammu and Kashmir is 158,813 hectares and occurs at an altitude of 500-1,500 metres all along the Himalayas. The forest extends from Basohli in the east to Poonch in the west, and goes up to Chenab Valley. It occurs in Bhadarwah, Doda, Ramban, Reasi, Udhampur, Samba, Kathua, Poonch, Rajouri, Nowshera, Billawar, and Jammu Forest Division. Collecting pine needles from the forest. Photo by Rakesh Verma. Fuelling forest fire In Jammu and Kashmir, it is estimated that around two lakh tonnes of pine needles shed every year. During summers, the shedding of dry needles (the long,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2024/04/converting-pine-needles-from-a-fire-risk-into-a-livelihood-opportunity/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2024/04/converting-pine-needles-from-a-fire-risk-into-a-livelihood-opportunity/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>We didn&#8217;t start the fire? Speculations over cause of Goa forest fires continue; state plans recovery</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/06/we-didnt-start-the-fire-speculations-over-cause-of-goa-forest-fires-continue-state-plans-recovery/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/06/we-didnt-start-the-fire-speculations-over-cause-of-goa-forest-fires-continue-state-plans-recovery/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>16 Jun 2023 16:06:41 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Noopur Bhandiwad]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2023/06/16152622/photo_2023-06-06_18-54-15-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=23193</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Climate Connections and The Indian Forest Story]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Goa and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Agriculture, Biodiversity, and Forest Fires]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[With the onset of summer, Goa’s green cover was enveloped in shades of bright orange and red. Forest fires with high flames and smoke lasted for about 10 to 12 days, starting March 5, 2023. About 500 volunteers including personnel from the Forest Department and Fire Services of Goa, aerial support from the India Navy [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[With the onset of summer, Goa’s green cover was enveloped in shades of bright orange and red. Forest fires with high flames and smoke lasted for about 10 to 12 days, starting March 5, 2023. About 500 volunteers including personnel from the Forest Department and Fire Services of Goa, aerial support from the India Navy and Indian Air Force and citizen volunteers had to work together to douse the fires. According to a forest department inquiry report, a total of 74 fire incidents were reported in this period. Of these, 32 fires affected parts of all of the state’s wildlife sanctuaries &#8211; Mhadei, Netravali, Cotigao and Bhagwaan Mahaveer wildlife sanctuaries. The most major fires were reported from a few villages in Sattari taluka, that are surrounded by forests and hillocks across Salcete taluka in South Goa. Sporadic incidents of forest fires continued till the month of May. A total of 418 hectares of private land, reserve forests, comunidade (collectively-owned) land and protected areas, including more than 348 hectares of forest land, were destroyed. Three months later, there are still multiple speculations about the cause of the fire. The map represents burn scars obtained by analysing pre and post-fire conditions from February and March 2023, respectively. Map by Technology for Wildlife Foundation. A government press release in March says “long dry-spell, coupled with unprecedented high summer temperature with low humidity” provided a conducive atmosphere for fire, aggravated by high winds. The press release also points to the slash and burn technique,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2023/06/we-didnt-start-the-fire-speculations-over-cause-of-goa-forest-fires-continue-state-plans-recovery/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2023/06/we-didnt-start-the-fire-speculations-over-cause-of-goa-forest-fires-continue-state-plans-recovery/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Himachal&#8217;s ecology under pressure; around 31 forest fires per day in April-June this year</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/07/himachals-ecology-under-pressure-as-around-31-forest-fires-per-day-recorded-in-april-june-this-year/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/07/himachals-ecology-under-pressure-as-around-31-forest-fires-per-day-recorded-in-april-june-this-year/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>08 Jul 2022 15:18:26 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Vivek Gupta]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Priyanka Shankar]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[forest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[forest fire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildlife]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2022/07/08083423/1656671981461-1-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=19006</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[The Indian Forest Story]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Himachal Pradesh and India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Ecology, Ecosystem services, Environment, Forest Fires, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Roshan Lal, 66, is livid. He is yet to come to terms with the damage caused to a forest near his village, that caught fire on June 12. Lal, an agriculturist from Jangi village in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, told Mongabay-India that he had not seen a forest fire of this scale before. The [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Roshan Lal, 66, is livid. He is yet to come to terms with the damage caused to a forest near his village, that caught fire on June 12. Lal, an agriculturist from Jangi village in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, told Mongabay-India that he had not seen a forest fire of this scale before. The fire spread over three kilometres and engulfed hundreds of trees and green cover. It took around three days to extinguish the fire but by then, over 2,000 bighas (161 hectares) of forest land had been affected by the fire. Reginald Royston, District Forest Officer (DFO), Kinnaur, informed Mongabay-India that the report about the exact damage due to the forest fire was still being compiled. However, on the ground, the destruction is quite visible. The fire has affected the ecologically and economically significant deodar and blue pine trees valued for their timber, he said. “Hundreds of chilgoza pine trees, which produce edible nuts and are a major source of livelihood for residents of Jangi village, were destroyed,” said Lal.  The affected area, was also home to Himalayan tahr and the black bear, according to Jangi residents. They suspect human tampering as the reason for the fire. However, DFO Reginald Royston said since the fire occurred on high mountain slopes where there is no human habitation, the department was not able to reach any conclusion whether the fire incident was accidental or a deliberate attempt. “But one possible reason is the prolonged dry spell in the area,&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2022/07/himachals-ecology-under-pressure-as-around-31-forest-fires-per-day-recorded-in-april-june-this-year/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/07/himachals-ecology-under-pressure-as-around-31-forest-fires-per-day-recorded-in-april-june-this-year/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>[Explainer] The good, the bad, and the ugly side of forest fires</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/06/explainer-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-side-of-forest-fires/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/06/explainer-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-side-of-forest-fires/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>29 Jun 2022 15:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Anusha Krishnan]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Forest Fires]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[forests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trees]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildfires]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2022/06/29103726/1200px-Bandipur_fires_2019-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=18847</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Environment Explained and The Indian Forest Story]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Forest Fires, Forests, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Satellite Imagery, and Trees]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[Forest fires, also called wildfires and bush or vegetation fires, are described as uncontrolled, often widespread burning of plants in forests, grasslands, brushland, and tundra. These fires can be of three types – surface fires, ground fires, and crown fires. Surface fires are the easiest fires to control and cause the least damage as they [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[Forest fires, also called wildfires and bush or vegetation fires, are described as uncontrolled, often widespread burning of plants in forests, grasslands, brushland, and tundra. These fires can be of three types – surface fires, ground fires, and crown fires. Surface fires are the easiest fires to control and cause the least damage as they burn only surface plant litter. Ground fires, also called underground or subsurface fires, burn within humus, peat, and piles of vegetation that are dry enough to burn. Although such fires spread very slowly, they are often difficult to suppress or fully extinguish, which makes them dangerous. Crown fires are the most intense and dangerous forest fires as they burn whole trees and can spread rapidly by spreading across tree tops due to winds. The 2022 report on wildfires by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) notes that although human carelessness and lightning strikes may start wildfires, climate change, land-use change, and poor forest management are allowing these fires to burn longer and hotter than ever before. The report also provides a new classification for forest fires – landscape fires and wildfires. Landscape fires are defined as being seasonal, of moderate intensity (with few instances of high intensity), easily controlled, and having a low environmental impact (for some species it may even have a positive impact). Wildfires are defined as extreme events, of high intensity, that are difficult to control, and have severe social, economic, and environmental impacts. How are forest fires started?   According to&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2022/06/explainer-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-side-of-forest-fires/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/06/explainer-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-side-of-forest-fires/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>[Commentary] What students and citizens can do about forest fires in Kodaikanal</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/06/commentary-what-students-and-citizens-can-do-about-forest-fires-in-kodaikanal/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/06/commentary-what-students-and-citizens-can-do-about-forest-fires-in-kodaikanal/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>28 Jun 2022 10:08:04 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Nikil Sankar Narayanan]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[forests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grasslands]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Western Ghats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildfires]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2022/06/27130510/800px-Palani_Hill_from_the_nearby_highway_2-e1656315337847-768x331.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=18862</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[The Indian Forest Story]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India and Tamil Nadu]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Fires and Forest Fires]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[The Palani Hills, located in the east of the Western Ghats, is about 80 km wide and 25 km long. Approximately 71 percent of the Palani Hills is covered by shola forests and grasslands. Holding more than 5000 acres of wetlands and beyond 200 animal species, this hill station truly befits the name, “The Princess [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[The Palani Hills, located in the east of the Western Ghats, is about 80 km wide and 25 km long. Approximately 71 percent of the Palani Hills is covered by shola forests and grasslands. Holding more than 5000 acres of wetlands and beyond 200 animal species, this hill station truly befits the name, “The Princess of Hills”. However, since the past few decades, recurring and threatening wildfires have caused significant and severe damage to wildlife, forests and wetlands in the region. Since there have been no recorded cases of explicit impacts of wildfires on wildlife, the issue is often taken lightly without thoughtful consideration. However, wildfires not only harm flora (trees, herbs, grasslands, and so on), but they also create a long-term impact on the lives of existing fauna. One perilous fire breakout that alarmed the citizens of the Palani Hills was recorded recently, on March 13, 2022. The massive wildfire caused large swaths of forest land to be reduced to embers within days. Although forest departments and police officials have been looking for solutions to forest fires and examine the cause of the recurring forest fires, fires continue to take place frequently that excessively damage forests and grasslands. The concerned government departments are indeed enforcing acts to prevent such breakouts in the future, however, citizens too can have a role to play in this. As a student of Kodaikanal International School, I planned to examine the details and the root causes of forest fires in Kodaikanal by visiting nearby&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2022/06/commentary-what-students-and-citizens-can-do-about-forest-fires-in-kodaikanal/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/06/commentary-what-students-and-citizens-can-do-about-forest-fires-in-kodaikanal/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Chhattisgarh forest fires continue while forest staff remain on strike</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/04/chhattisgarh-forest-fire-rages-on-while-forest-staff-remain-on-strike/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/04/chhattisgarh-forest-fire-rages-on-while-forest-staff-remain-on-strike/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>11 Apr 2022 13:31:42 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Alok Prakash Putul]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Mayank Aggarwal]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chhattisgarh]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Forest Fires]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2021/03/15132524/similipal3-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=17803</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[The Indian Forest Story]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Chhattisgarh]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Fires and Forest Fires]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[On March 27, the news of a forest fire at Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan in north-west came to light. By the time the news reached the concerned officials at Baleta-Prithvipura outpost in the Akbarpur Range, it was quite late. The forest field staff was quickly deployed to tackle the fire. Residents of villages also [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[On March 27, the news of a forest fire at Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan in north-west came to light. By the time the news reached the concerned officials at Baleta-Prithvipura outpost in the Akbarpur Range, it was quite late. The forest field staff was quickly deployed to tackle the fire. Residents of villages also joined hands to help. The National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) arrived to join the efforts. In addition, there was assistance from the Indian Air Force (IAF) which used its MIG-17 helicopter to douse the fire. The state forest secretary arrived in Alwar to take control of the affairs while Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked to Rajasthan’s Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to offer support. Overall, over 400 people worked for six days to control the forest fire that had spread over an area of around 20 kilometres. However, the forests of Chhattisgarh are not as lucky. As fire rages in the central-eastern state, personnel and union support is scarce. It&#8217;s forest fire season and fires have been reported in recent weeks from Sarguja to Sukma in Chhattisgarh, as a result of which the flora and fauna are impacted. Photos and videos of elephants, leopards and other animals escaping the fire and running towards nearby human habitations are widespread on social media. But as the fire continues, sufficient field staff of the forest department that would be the first in line to act on the fire, is not present. About ten&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2022/04/chhattisgarh-forest-fire-rages-on-while-forest-staff-remain-on-strike/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2022/04/chhattisgarh-forest-fire-rages-on-while-forest-staff-remain-on-strike/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Protecting a forest on a hill in Imphal</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2021/10/protecting-a-forest-on-a-hill-in-imphal/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2021/10/protecting-a-forest-on-a-hill-in-imphal/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>20 Oct 2021 11:03:22 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Sanskrita Bharadwaj]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[natural climate solutions]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2021/10/20104436/IMG-20211016-WA0006-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=15927</guid>

											<reporting-project>
							<![CDATA[Eco Hope]]>
						</reporting-project>
					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Manipur]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Conservation, Forest Fires, Forests, Nature-based Climate Solutions, and Trees]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[In early 2002, Moirangthem Loiya Ngamba from the Meitei community in Manipur, began growing plants on the Maru Langol hill range nestled in the northern part of the Imphal valley. Now, nearly 20 years later, the 47-year-old has contributed to the transformation of the once-dry 300-acre hill into a forest. While Loiya says he has [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[In early 2002, Moirangthem Loiya Ngamba from the Meitei community in Manipur, began growing plants on the Maru Langol hill range nestled in the northern part of the Imphal valley. Now, nearly 20 years later, the 47-year-old has contributed to the transformation of the once-dry 300-acre hill into a forest. While Loiya says he has been “adventurous” most of his life, he didn’t think growing a forest would be one of his missions. Northeast India is endowed with rich forest resources and is among 17 biodiversity hotspots of the world. But the Indian State of Forest Report, 2019, presented a gloomy picture for northeast India as the region witnessed a total decrease of around 765 sq km of forest cover. According to the report, Manipur has suffered the highest loss of 499 sq km of forest cover. When Loiya was young, he often visited the lush green Koubru peak in Senapati district of Manipur. Till today, the Meitei people of Manipur regard Mount Koubru as one of the most sacred mountains in the state. “We used to go hiking there. We would climb and walk underneath the huge trees. Those moments were magical for me,” he says. When he came back home after completing his degree in Philosophy at the Madras Christian College (MCC) in Chennai in 2000, he went back to the mountain range where he hiked as a young boy. The tall trees and the vast green cover had considerably reduced. “I was shocked,” he says. He, then, set&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2021/10/protecting-a-forest-on-a-hill-in-imphal/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2021/10/protecting-a-forest-on-a-hill-in-imphal/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>With more forest fires and an ongoing pandemic, forest dwellers feel the heat this year</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2021/05/with-more-forest-fires-and-an-ongoing-pandemic-forest-dwellers-feel-the-heat-this-year/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2021/05/with-more-forest-fires-and-an-ongoing-pandemic-forest-dwellers-feel-the-heat-this-year/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>28 May 2021 13:10:23 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Manish Chandra Mishra]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Manish Chandra Mishra]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climate change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fires]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Forest Fires]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Forestry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[forests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indigenous Peoples]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[No categories Biosphere reserves]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Temperate Forests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tropical Forests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wildlife]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2021/05/28122728/forest-fire-kaziranga-e1622187166115-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=14286</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[India, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, and Uttarakhand]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Climate Change, Fires, Forest Fires, Forestry, Forests, Indigenous Peoples, Temperate Forests, Tropical Forests, and Wildlife]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[“I have never seen this kind of a forest fire before. This year, the fire entered our village, and I could see that it was just 100 meters away from my home. Those three days of fire were horrific for us,” Brind Prajapati, a forest dweller who hails from Bamera village of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[“I have never seen this kind of a forest fire before. This year, the fire entered our village, and I could see that it was just 100 meters away from my home. Those three days of fire were horrific for us,” Brind Prajapati, a forest dweller who hails from Bamera village of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) in Madhya Pradesh, recounted the fire incident that took place in the forest area around a month ago.  Prajapati and his family usually go to the forest to collect minor forest produce (MFP), but the fire, which went on for some days, hampered their work which in turn impacted their earnings. “My village falls under Pataur range of the forest which was badly hit by the fire. Villagers could not collect Mahua flowers as expected and incurred huge losses,” said Prajapati. His family usually collects three quintals of Mahua flowers in this season, but this time they could not meet the target, he said.  This season was important for forest dwellers as their livelihood was already hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.  “Villagers usually migrate to cities in search of jobs, but due to the lockdown, that option is not available. Mahua flowers and other minor forest produce were our last hope after losing jobs due to lockdown,” added Prajapati.  States like Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Uttarakhand, and Odisha witnessed massive forest fires this year. Increasing fire trends can be seen in data as well with the Forest Survey of India (FSI)’s system sending fire alerts&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2021/05/with-more-forest-fires-and-an-ongoing-pandemic-forest-dwellers-feel-the-heat-this-year/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2021/05/with-more-forest-fires-and-an-ongoing-pandemic-forest-dwellers-feel-the-heat-this-year/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
						<item>
					<title>Communities or forest department? Similipal fires rake up debate on ownership of National Park</title>
					<link>https://india.mongabay.com/2021/03/communities-or-forest-department-similipal-fires-rake-up-debate-on-ownership-of-national-park/</link>
					<comments>https://india.mongabay.com/2021/03/communities-or-forest-department-similipal-fires-rake-up-debate-on-ownership-of-national-park/?noamp=mobile#respond</comments>
					<pubDate>15 Mar 2021 14:48:45 +0000</pubDate>
											<dc:creator>
							<![CDATA[Pragati Prava]]>
						</dc:creator>
										<author>
						<![CDATA[Aditi Tandon]]>
					</author>
							<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
										<enclosure url="https://imgs.mongabay.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2021/03/15132524/similipal3-768x512.jpg" type="image/jpeg" />
					<guid isPermaLink="false">https://india.mongabay.com/?p=13543</guid>

					
											<locations>
							<![CDATA[Odisha]]>
						</locations>
					
											<topic-tags>
							<![CDATA[Community based conservation, Fires, Forest Fires, Forest Rights Act, and Forests]]>
						</topic-tags>
					
					
											<description>
							<![CDATA[As Similipal National Park and Tiger Reserve in Odisha burned over the past month, the debate over whether ownership of the park should be in the hands of the forest department or the local community, came to the fore. Similipal, Asia’s second-largest biosphere reserve, located in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district has been burning since February 11. [&#8230;]]]>
						</description>
																					<content:encoded>
							<![CDATA[As Similipal National Park and Tiger Reserve in Odisha burned over the past month, the debate over whether ownership of the park should be in the hands of the forest department or the local community, came to the fore. Similipal, Asia’s second-largest biosphere reserve, located in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district has been burning since February 11. A recent statement by the Forest Department notes that the fire is under control. While rainfall on March 10 brought relief to some parts of the National Park,  many areas are still burning. The Forest Survey of India (FSI) data suggests that between February 11 and March 15, a total of 348 fire points have been detected inside the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR), 1242 in Baripada Division, 964 in Karanjia Division and 926 in Rairangpur Division. The biosphere reserve has four divisions – STR (South and North), Baripada, Karanjia and Rairangpur. While the local residents, conservationists and concerned intellectuals raise serious ecological concerns about this wildfire, the Forest Department (FD) says the instances of fire are very common to deciduous sal forests of the STR. Regional Chief Conservator of Forests M. Yogajayananda, who is also the Field Director of the STR said, “Even though wildfire is very common to Similipal, the instances have increased this year. Absence of rainfall and dry leaf litters combined with wind and soaring temperature fuelled spread.” Wildfire engulfed the forest in the buffer area of the Similipal Tiger Reserve near Karanjia in the first week of March. Photo by Special&hellip;This article was originally published on <a href="https://india.mongabay.com/2021/03/communities-or-forest-department-similipal-fires-rake-up-debate-on-ownership-of-national-park/" data-wpel-link="internal">Mongabay</a>]]>
						</content:encoded>
										<wfw:commentRss>https://india.mongabay.com/2021/03/communities-or-forest-department-similipal-fires-rake-up-debate-on-ownership-of-national-park/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
					<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
														</item>
			</channel>
</rss>