Nurpur forests battle flames as heatwave hits Kangra region

With the rise in temperature in April, forest fires have been triggered in the lower regions of Kangra district. Pine forests in the Nurpur forest division are especially vulnerable during the dry summer days. Despite special preparations by the Forest Department, the fires have started affecting the vulnerable forests. The total area under pine forests in Himachal Pradesh is around 1.50 lakh hectares, and extensive measures have been undertaken across all forest divisions to prevent and control fires.

On Sunday, the Diyal forest in the Dhameta beat of the Rey Forest Range caught fire. Forest Department staff, fire brigade personnel, and local residents quickly responded to control the blaze. However, Balbir Singh, a local resident assisting in the efforts, sustained burn injuries on his right arm and the back of his head after a sudden change in the wind direction led the fire towards him. He is currently receiving medical treatment provided by the forest department.

Deputy Ranger of Rey Forest Range, Kikar Singh, confirmed that upon receiving information about the fire, he, along with the field staff and Van Mitras, rushed to the site. With the assistance of fire brigade personnel and locals, they managed to douse the fire, though it resulted in injuries to one of the volunteers.

Meanwhile, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Nurpur, Amit Sharma, reported that so far five fire incidents have occurred in the division, affecting around 109 hectares of forest land. Most fires have been reported in lower areas bordering Punjab, which have become drier due to scanty rainfall this year. However, he expressed hope for fewer incidents this summer, highlighting the department’s upgraded preparedness with better equipment and trained manpower.

The Nurpur forest division comprises five ranges: Nurpur, Kotla, Rey, Indora and Jawali. To combat forest fires more effectively this year, the department has implemented a special strategy in collaboration with the 14th Battalion of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). For the first time, the forest staff has been equipped with advanced inventory including drone cameras, fire beaters, rakes, fire-resistant clothing, axes, and other new firefighting tools.

Himachal Tribune