High Temperatures, Long Dry Spell Spark Forest Fires In Himachal
The prolonged dry spell this year has sparked off fires in the chir pine forests of the lower hills of Himachal Pradesh with 307 such incidents reported in April. The raging fire, which causes extensive damage to flora and fauna, has the forest department on its toes. Forest officials say that most fire incidents are started by human negligence as it's been noticed that they start in and around habitations. More than a dozen such incidents have been reported from areas surrounding Shimla so far this year. The smoke blanket has become a health hazard for residents and environmentalists have sought a solution to the recurring problem. Here is a report from Mohammed Ghazali.
