94 blazes in 11 days; J&K battles forest fire surge

AT least 94 incidents of forest fire were reported in Jammu and Kashmir in the last 11 days, raising serious concerns about environmental safety in the union territory (UT).

- FAYAZ WANI @ Srinagar

The surge in forest fires not only poses a threat to J&K's biodiversity but also jeopardises the safety of local communities and infrastructure.

Official sources said 94 forest fire incidents were reported in J&K from March 24 to April 3.

The incidents have been reported in 15 out of the 20 districts in J&K.

The highest single-day number of 35 forest fire incidents was reported on April 2, followed by 18 incidents on April 3.

The south Kashmir district of Anantnag has been the worst hit, witnessing blazes erupting on a near daily basis. The Pulwama, Budgam, Ganderbal and Bandipora districts in the Valley have also reported frequent forest fire cases.

Forest fires have also been reported from Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi, Doda, and Poonch in the Jammu region.