Jammu- Fire engulfed several forest and urban areas in the Jammu region, devastating vast tracts of land, officials on Friday said.
The fire, which spread to Rajouri, Samba, Reasi and Udhampur districts, and urban parts of Jammu city, destroyed large areas of plantation and other forest wealth, they said.
In Samba, the fire broke out in Chiladanga, Nund and Purandare areas, where both forest officials and local residents were working tirelessly to extinguish the flames, the officials said.
Udhampur has also been severely affected, with fire reported in the forest regions of Rakh, Nehra Nall, and Krimchi. Efforts to control the blaze are ongoing, they said.
Reasi district is grappling with multiple wildfires, intensifying concerns about forest fires throughout the region, the officials said.
The Jammu and Kashmir Disaster Management Authority (JKDMA) has issued an extreme forest fire risk warning for the coming week as temperatures soar and the dry conditions persist.
Authorities are mobilizing resources, including drones, to combat the fires. However, the challenging terrain, coupled with high temperatures and dry conditions is making firefighting efforts particularly difficult, they said.
In the Nowshera Sub-division of Rajouri district, forest fires continue to cause significant damage. The dry weather and scorching temperatures are contributing to the severity of the fires, the officials said.
A forest officer highlighted the critical role of prevention, with five fire watchers deployed in each of the division’s 11 blocks.
She emphasized the human factor in the ignition of these fires and urged the public to steer clear of forest areas, especially avoiding the use of cigarettes and other potential fire sources.
In Jammu city, a minor incident occurred at the Government Medical College Hospital, where an old truck caught fire. The flames were quickly extinguished by fire service department tankers, the officials said.
Efforts to contain and extinguish the fire across the Jammu region continue, with the officials and locals working together to mitigate the damage, they said.
19 Fire Incidents Reported In May In Udhampur
As many as nineteen fire incidents have been reported in the month of May in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district, officials said on Friday.
Earlier in the day, a forest fire broke out in the Krimchi area of the city, engulfing the region’s vital ecological resources.
On the preparedness of the forest division to tackle forest fires, Divisional Forest Officer, Udhampur, Navneet Singh, told ANI, “The forest department is committed to controlling the fire. In March, we set up forest fire control rooms. In Udhampur, there are 10 forest control rooms…These forest control rooms are fully equipped…Awareness activities are carried out by staff to not set fire in the forests…In schools, through painting and other competitions, a message is sent to not set fire to forests….”.
“In Udhampur, 19 fire incidents have been reported this month that were brought under control. Most of the firing incidents were minor”…,” he added.
To combat forest fires, locals here in Udhampur are resorting to converting pine needles (prone to fire) into different products.
Jammu & Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission and women of Self Help Groups from Chenani in Udhampur district have come up with an innovative method to combat forest fires.
Saloni Rai, Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur said earlier in the month, “Forest fire is a prevalent problem this season and pine needles are a greater risk to forest fire. Keeping this in mind, with the collaboration of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), a training program has been organized where 30 women are given the training to make different products from pine needles. They are making different products and so this initiative is helping them to be self-employed and their empowerment…”
The Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihood Mission aims “to reduce poverty in the state by building strong grassroots institutions of the poor, engage them into gainful livelihood interventions and ensure appreciable improvement in their income on a sustainable basis.
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