Odisha experiencing the country’s worst forest fires again, 642 incidents in March
Prolonged dry spell, accumulation of dry leaves, anthropogenic reasons behind crisis
Simply Put: Food and fire
Odisha recorded the most forest fires in India last season
A total of 345,989 forest fires were recorded across the country.
Similipal fire: Lives and livelihoods of Mankidia tribals in distress
The Mankidia tribe earn by collecting and selling siali fibre from Similipal forests; the fire has badly impacted their livelihood
Similipal forest fires put Odisha’s Lodha tribe in jeopardy
Already affected by the COVID-19 lockdown, the wildfires threaten to make collection of minor forest produce even more difficult
Similipal Tiger Reserve needs to be saved from forest fires. Here’s how much it is worth
A Union government report published July 2019 pegged the stock benefits provided by the reserve at nearly Rs 50,000 crore
Fire recorded at 23,000 points across Odisha in one week: Forest Survey of India
Rise in forest fires across Odisha this year can be clearly attributed to a lack of proper planning
Rain in parts of burning Similipal forest brings temporary relief
The rainfall only covered 10% of Similipal, said a senior forest official
40% fire incidents not responded to by officials, Odisha govt admits
People arrested in several forest areas for starting fires
Similipal fire shines light on dark hole in India’s real-time air quality monitoring network
Most cities do have manual monitoring systems of air quality but related data becomes available only a year later
Similipal fire serves as lesson on human activity within protected areas, say experts
With reports citing Mahuli flower collection as the cause of the fire, experts advise caution for those who enter PAs
Recently planted eucalyptus trees may have stoked Similipal fires, say experts
Afforestation of mostly eucalyptus trees has been done in 67,828 of 5,695,873 ha diverted land in the state, an official said