Forest fires burn down 30 ha, but damage much less than last year’s

Pune: The Pune forest division has managed to control forest fires significantly in its jurisdiction spread over one lakh hectares in six tehsils.About 30 hectares of forest area was gutted in fires this year against about 250 hectares by April 8 last year, the forest officials said. All hills and forest areas of the city come under the division. Besides, forest pockets in Maval, Mulshi,

Daund

,

Baramati

, and Indapur tehsils are within their jurisdictions. “Natural forest fires are negligible. A majority are man-made. It is difficult to monitor and control them. Investigation of several incidents have indicated and proved that deliberate setting of fire for personal gain is behind the fires,” divisional conservator of forests Rahul Patil of Pune division said.Officials said the maximum fires so far this year have been reported in

Paud

forest range due to farmers’ negligence and lack of awareness. “These fires destroy biodiversity and often endanger smaller animals. When a forest burns, besides dry grass, often rare trees and herbs also get destroyed that may not regrow. While most bigger animals run away, reptiles, birds, and their eggs and insects get destroyed. It needs at least a couple of years to restore the biodiversity in these forest pockets. Animals migrate and often venture into human habitats in search of food and water. It results in human-animal conflict,” a senior forest official from Indapur forest range said.