Telangana’s Amrabad, Kawal in top 5 tiger reserves with highest forest fire detections

Fires play a major role in the management of tiger reserves, both as a tool to maintain grasslands and as an ecological threat

Hyderabad: The Amrabad and Kawal tiger reserves have been listed in the top five among 52 tiger reserves in the country for the highest forest fires detections within the reserves.

The Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh recorded 2,644 forest fire detections in the 2023-24 fire season. After the Indravati and Valmiki tiger reserves, Kawal recorded 1,243 detections and Amrabad 1,224 detections during the same season.

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For sustaining tiger population, a good prey base is required, which, in turn, depends on good spread of palatable grasses.

Hence, fires play a major role in the management of tiger reserves, both as a management tool to maintain grasslands and as an ecological threat, according to the Indian State of Forest Report released on Saturday.

According to the report, it is important to detect forest fires for taking up remedial measures. It is equally important to assess forest area affected by forest fires and assess the damage to forest and biodiversity.

The number of forest fires detected by the Forest Survey of India using MODIS and SNPP-VIIRS sensors also increased in Telangana. Compared to SNPP-VIIRS sensor detections of 13,117 during November 2022-June 2023, the numbers have increased by a notch — 13,479 detections during the November 2023-June 2024 season.

Telangana was also among the States with the maximum decrease of forest cover inside the Recorded Forest Area. After Tripura, with 116.90 square km, Telangana stood second with 105.87 square km and Assam with 86.66 square km.

The maximum fire-affected forest areas have also been observed in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Telangana.

The highest per cent of Recorded Forest Area affected by forest fire has been observed in Telangana (14.82 per cent), followed by Andhra Pradesh (13.94 per cent) and Bihar (10.71 per cent).

In the State-wise burnt area assessment, Telangana stand third in the chart. The total burnt area in Andhra Pradesh (leads the chart) during the November 2023-June 2024 season was recorded at 5,286.76 square km.

The total burnt area in Maharashtra was recorded at 4,095.04 square km, followed by Telangana, which recorded 3,983.28 square km during the season.