The burning forests of Bihar

Patna: When the mercury soared above 40°C last fortnight, the hills of Bihar cracked open, not with thunder, but with fire. The air shimmered with heat and from Jamui to Lakhisarai, through the dense woods of Banka, flames licked the skies. None was spared. Even Mandar Mountain, steeped in spiritual lore and sacred to millions, stood engulfed with its storied slopes swallowed by relentless fire.

Despite the desperate efforts of local fire brigades and forest rangers, the infernos surged on, devouring acres of foliage, scorching soil and silencing birdsong. The smoke drifted not only through the forests but deep into the heart of Bihar's growing ecological crisis.

A land long acquainted with calamity – earthquakes, floods, cyclones and searing lightning strikes – Bihar now finds itself gripped by an elemental enemy rising with alarming frequency: fire.

ALARMING NUMBERS

According to the Bihar Economic Survey Report (2024-25), the numbers tell a scorching tale. In just a year, forest fire incidents have nearly tripled, from 283 to 771, while the charred forest area expanded from 386 hectares to a staggering 1,404 hectares.

The rise is unprecedented. The state's department of environment, forest and climate change records reveal that 2023-24 saw the highest number of fires since records began in 2004-05, when just 177 incidents were logged. By contrast, there were 581 fires in 2018 and 633 in 2021, a steady climb that now seems to be surging out of control.

But the official numbers may only be half the truth.

The Forest Survey of India (FSI), leveraging satellite-based SNPP-VIIRS imaging, paints an even more searing portrait. It detected 2,450 fires in 2018-19, 5,179 in 2020-21 and 3,793 in 2022–23 — figures that dwarf the state's own assessments.

VALMIKI TIGER RESERVE

The epicentre of this crisis? Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR), Bihar's only national park and a jewel of its forested crown. Of the 771 forest fire incidents reported last year, 505 were in VTR alone. The remaining were scattered across Rohtas (66), Jamui (40), Banka (30), Kaimur (29) and other districts that have now become reluctant hosts to an annual dance of flame.

WHY IS BIHAR BURNING?

"Most of the forest fires in Bihar are ground fire or bush fire which are immediately doused," said Bandana Preyashi, former secretary of the environment department. "It is true that the number of forest fire incidents has increased in the state, but damage is very limited. The department handled these incidents effectively."

She credited improved monitoring, made possible by timely alerts from the FSI, for allowing rapid response on the ground. Yet, Preyashi acknowledged the growing tinderbox conditions. "A long period of dry, non-rainy weather has increased the susceptibility of forests to fires, creating an environment conducive to fire ignition and spread. Besides, random and sporadic fire incidents have also been attributed to activities like crop burning," she said.

Indeed, as the soil dries and the rains delay, Bihar's forests are becoming ever more flammable. Across the state, the age-old practice of crop burning, long overlooked, now fuels a volatile mix of human negligence and climatic extremes.

FIRE WITHOUT FOREST?

Adding perspective, Uday Kant Mishra, vice-chairman of the Bihar State Disaster Management Authority (BSDMA), said, "There are very few dense and extensive forests in the state and most of them are scattered. The officials of the forest department as well as the disaster management authorities are always alert in combating forest fires."

Mishra reiterated that most of Bihar's wildfires are manageable. "Half of the state's forests are categorised as less fire-prone and most of the forest fires in Bihar are ground fire or bush fire which are immediately doused. Even though the number of forest fires has been increasing year after year, the damage caused by these fires is very limited. The officials handle these fires very effectively," he said.

But not all experts are convinced that the situation can be contained so easily. Birendra Prasad, head of the botany department at Patna University, warned that the state is experiencing the local consequences of a global crisis.

"Climate change has intensified heatwaves and droughts, drying vegetation and fuelling wildfires. Moreover, warmer temperatures and changing precipitation patterns have contributed to longer fire seasons," he said.

He too pointed to a combination of natural dryness and human-induced triggers. "A long period of dry, non-rainy weather has increased the susceptibility of forests to fires... frequent crop burning in different parts of the state has also resulted in random and sporadic fire incidents," Prasad added.

With each passing season, the fires seem to return stronger, faster and more widespread. In a state where green cover is already fragile and forests sparse, this could spell long-term disaster. The biodiversity of Valmiki Tiger Reserve, the cultural legacy of Mandar Mountain, and the ecological balance of countless districts hang in a delicate balance.