Dharamshala, June 22
The Dharamshala Forest Division has reported 80 forest fire incidents so far this season, with around 347 hectares of forest area affected and an estimated loss of nearly ₹92 lakh, according to the Forest Department. Two fresh fire incidents were reported on Sunday evening in the Sarah and Bandi areas near Dharamshala city. Forest officials and field teams worked for about 4 hours to control the flames, bringing the fire under complete control by about 9:30 pm.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Dharamshala Amit Sharma said the two incidents were reported at around 5:30 pm on Sunday. After receiving information, forest department teams were immediately sent to the affected locations. “Most forest fire cases occur because people set fires to clean their grasslands, which later spread towards forests and cause significant damage,” Sharma said.
According to the DFO, 78 forest fire cases had already been registered on the Forest Department’s online portal. After updating the latest incidents from Sarah and Bandi, the total number of cases will rise to 80.
The department’s first-tier assessment estimates that the Dharamshala Forest Division has suffered losses of around ₹92 lakh due to these fires. Sharma added that the final assessment of damage is carried out after the monsoon during second-tier monitoring, when plantation work is also undertaken. He said some plants often recover naturally, which may reduce the final loss estimate.
Sharma highlighted that controlling forest fires in hilly areas remains challenging due to difficult terrain, steep slopes of 60 to 70 percent, strong winds, and limited water availability.
“Firefighting operations in forests are extremely difficult. Many times, staff members have to carry drinking water with them while working in remote areas,” he said.
The DFO added that fire lines are createdto prevent the spread of flames and protect forest resources. He said the safety of forest staff and local residents involved in firefighting remains the department’s top priority.
Despite the challenges, the Forest Department is continuing efforts to control forest fires quickly and minimise damage to forest wealth.
