Whispers in the Flame

As the Valley marks Fire Services Week, a dramatic spike in forest fires and dwindling water reserves reveal deep vulnerabilities in Kashmir's disaster response infrastructure.

- Rayees Ahmad Kumar

Each year from April 14 to 20, India observes Fire Services Week in memory of 66 brave firefighters who died in the 1944 Bombay Dock explosion. In Kashmir, the observance has grown from a ceremonial occasion into a pointed reminder of the region's escalating ecological and infrastructural crises — and of the people who continue to battle them on the frontlines.

Fire Services Week in Jammu and Kashmir this year comes amid an unprecedented increase in forest fires. The region recorded 1,243 fire incidents in forests during the 2024-25 fiscal year, more than double the 607 reported in the previous year. These fires affected over 3,500 hectares of land a significant portion of Kashmir's treasured green cover. The Pir Panjal, north and south Kashmir hills, and parts of Jammu have witnessed recurring blazes, many threatening human settlements and wildlife habitats.

Between March 24 and April 3 alone, 94 major forest fires were reported across 15 districts. In many cases, the fires raged for hours - even days before they were brought under control, underscoring both the scale of the problem and the limits of current firefighting capacity.