Climate Change declared as major reason behind unprecedented forest fires

News Desk

PESHAWAR: The Forestry, Environment and Wildlife Department has declared ‘Climate Change’ as the major contributor behind unprecedented fire incidents that occurred in different forests of the province.

In a detail report prepared by the department on 210 incidents of forest fire occurring during the period from May 23, 22 to June 9, 22; it is observed that rising temperature, a key indicator of climate change, caused more evaporation of moisture from ground, drying out the soil and making vegetation more flammable.

At the same time, winter snowpack is melting about a month earlier, meaning that the forests are drier for longer periods of time.

“Natural causes include climate change, lightening, temperature transmission through rocks, and drought and heat continue with rising greenhouse gas emissions, we expect more wildfires in years ahead, especially with the fire seasons getting longer,” warns the report.

As per Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) statistics, national rainfall for the month of March 2022 was 62 percent and ranked 9th driest month since 1961;74 percent in April and ranked 2nd driest month and 48.4 percent in May.

The rainfall in all three months remained largely below normal across the country and all experienced extreme deficient rainfall in the months of March and April. The table below shows the monthly national rainfall in the year 2022 across all the parts of the country.

Source: Pakistan Meteorological Department

Therefore, the decrease in rainfall and increase in temperature inordinately is a trigger for fires, the report explains. Regarding anthropogenic activities, it said that human action includes advertent or inadvertent action by grazers, tourists/ visitors/ rivals, etc. The tourists visiting forests for recreation purpose incidentally cause the forest fire.

This year, the biggest awareness drive was carried out by KP Forest Department during March and April, educating the tourists through social media, banners, pamphlets and brochures distribution. The forest-dependent communities traditionally burn dry grasses to get tender grass for livestock which sometimes results in forest fires due to winds and casual attitude of communities.

The report also mentioned rumours circulating in the areas that the government was providing compensation or was to provide compensation for damages in forests, and this may also have contributed to some of the fires.

About preventive measures, the report stated that climate change requires another level of multi-sectoral action, but KP’s Action Plan 2017 has been updated as 2022 and an exercise for the preparation of dealing with more and more fires has already been submitted.

KP Forest Department and Wildlife Department are designed to protect designated areas.

Therefore, a joint action plan (with cost-sharing) needs to be framed with private and communal owners before the onset of the next Fire Season with both determined roles and responsibilities in advance to counter fire in private areas effective and timely.

From now onwards, all the plantations and other such activities like sowing or Assisted Natural Regeneration will be planned for only designated forests to avoid any further clash with locals on converting their grazing lands into forests, the report added.