How to control pine-forest fires in Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh, renowned for its natural beauty and dense forests, is home to vast expanses of chir pine forests covering over 1,25,885 hectares, which accounts for about 17.8 per cent of the total forest area in the State. While these forests contribute to the State’s rich biodiversity and ecological balance, they also pose several challenges, particularly the high susceptibility to fire, which causes irreparable harm to natural resources (forest degradation, biodiversity loss, and reduction of forest productivity) and impacts local livelihoods. In 2024 alone, Himachal recorded 2,464 fire incidents, with the Dharamshala sector alone reporting 535 of these. The problem becomes especially severe during the peak summer months when the pine trees begin shedding their needles, typically betw