Forest fires in Goa could have been caused by humans, says dept report

PANAJI: The fires that scorched Goa over ten days in March, which resulted in 348ha of forest being burnt to the ground, could have been caused by humans, according to the inquiry report prepared by deputy conservators of forests. From March 5 to 15 this year, 74 fires were reported across Goa, covering an area of 418ha.
Officials said that DCFs have suspected the role of forest rights claimants (under the Forest Rights Act), and that the involvement of these claimants in kindling the fires is being inquired into.

"The inquiry report also brought out other anthropogenic factors, stating that the fire near human habitations could be due to man-made reasons. However, the DCFs have given them the benefit of doubt and said that the fire could have been triggered unintentionally due to negligence and carelessness," said a source.
This led to the accumulation of large quantities of biomass on the forest floor. But in the subsequent year in 2022-23, there was reduced rainfall, and this caused dry biomass,” the source said. The larger quantities of dry biomass on the forest floor, according to the officials, helped in faster spread of the forest fire.
The DCFs also pointed out that this summer, a general trend was seen too — of increased incidents of forest fires in the Western Ghats region of India, including in the forests of Karnataka and Kerala. Most of the fires were seen in dry deciduous and moist deciduous forests like in Goa. “Though no loss of endangered flora and fauna, human life, or property was reported in Goa, wildlife habitats especially of reptiles, rodents, birds were affected in the burnt areas. Damage to horticultural crops including coconut and cashew trees has been reported in places.
The report says that the fire was restricted to largely ground vegetation like herbs, shrubs and grasses,” said a government source. The 348ha of forest burnt in the fires in Goa includes protected areas, reserved forest areas, and Goa Forest Development Corporation-leased area. From March 16 to April 28, 23 more fires were reported. To counter the impact of the forest fires, the state forest department has decided to take up plantation at the onset of the monsoon and to keep a watch on the proliferation of any invasive grasses in the burnt areas. The department is also in the process of increasing the deployment of fire watchers to ensure that highrisk forest areas are better manned in the future.