Factors increase likelihood of fires this season

Prolonged monsoon, rapid onset of summer contribute to woes

Prolonged monsoon, along with the rapid transition from winter to summer, during the year, has increased chances of forest fires in national parks in the region, especially Nagarahole National Park (NNP).

Extended spells of rainfall, which lasted in parts of NNP and Bandipur Tiger Reserve (BTR) till the last week of December, has created conditions favourable for forest fires. Rains had not only delayed work on firelines, but has also aided the growth of grass in the Park. At the same time, a rapid transition from winter to summer during the month has also made the job difficult, Forest department officials said.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, R Gokul, Director of NNP, said, the rains till the end of December jeopardised the laying of firelines at the reserve. While the Forest department has plans to draw 1,800 kilometre of firelines, works on only 850 kilometer is complete.

By this time, last year, at least 70 per cent of the works on firelines were complete, before a fire broke out at the reserve in the month of March, he said.

“Even though cutting of vegetation along the marked firelines were complete, burning it, to prevent forest fires from spreading, is slowly. While rains hindered the works in the initial phases, now works are being affected by the rapid onset of summer,” he said.

With temperatures soaring, efforts to burn vegetation along the firelines too has taken a hit, as there are chances that these preventive fires could fuel a forest fire. Therefore, works have to be taken up with enough precaution, he added.

H C Kantharaju, Director of BTR, said, the works on firelines, measuring 3,200 kilometer inside the reserve, was about 80 per cent complete. Works are being taken up in Moolehole and Kalkere ranges of the reserve. Compared to Nagarahole, rainfall in Bandipur was less, which helped the department to take up works on the fireline.

Wind

Both, temperature and wind speed in the region, is more compared to last year, he said. Wind increases the intensity of a forest fire and has the capability of gutting large tracts of land within a short span of time, he added.

Sources said, the extent of firelines, though huge, was insufficient to curb fires. The source blamed on a dearth of funds. The elaborate firelines in areas which are susceptible to fire cannot help when some vested interests deliberately set large tracts of forest on fire, the source added.