Meghalaya’s forest cover is significantly more prone to fires than national estimates suggest. A recent analysis by the state’s forest and environment department found that around 49% of Meghalaya’s forest cover is highly prone to forest fires.
This figure starkly contrasts with the national estimate of 10% reported by the Forest Survey of India.
The study, which examined fire incidents from 2003 to 2023, revealed that the Ri Bhoi (16,670 incidents) and West Khasi Hills (12,445 incidents) districts experienced the highest number of forest fires. In contrast, the South West Garo Hills district recorded the fewest incidents (482).
Among the various blocks, Rongjeng Block in the East Garo Hills district has 74.3% of its forest cover classified as very high fire-prone.
Human activities have been identified as a significant influence on the natural evolution process and the variation in forest fire trends.
Thus, identifying variables contributing to forest fire occurrences is crucial for effective fire risk management.
The Forest and Environment Department, in collaboration with the North Eastern Space Application Centre, conducted a study to identify and map forest fire-prone areas in Meghalaya.
This was achieved by integrating historical fire incident alert data from the Forest Survey of India (FSI) Dehradun with various spatial layers, including forest type, forest density, topography, and proximity to roads and settlements.
The Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) used in the study helped identify factors affecting forest fire vulnerability. It found that more than 60% of the state’s total forest cover falls within moderate to very high vulnerability zones, with 24.42% in the high vulnerability category and only 13.21% in the low vulnerability category.
The districts of East Garo Hills, Ri Bhoi, and West Khasi Hills have substantial areas within high to very high vulnerability zones.
The years 2006 (3,151 incidents) and 2009 (3,081 incidents) recorded the highest number of forest fires in the state, according to data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS).
The analysis also showed that East Himalayan moist mixed deciduous forests experienced the highest fire occurrences, while Assam alluvial plains semi-evergreen forests were least affected.
In addition to MODIS, which traverses the state four times daily and detects fires at a 1 km x 1 km resolution, alerts from the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) – Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) have enhanced fire detection since 2019. VIIRS provides data twice daily with a resolution of 375 m x 375 m.
Forest density also significantly influences fire incidents, with denser forests recording higher fire occurrences regardless of forest type.
The study conducted a detailed vulnerability analysis of crucial areas, including Reserve Forests, Protected Forests, National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Community Reserves, Biosphere Reserves, Eco-Sensitive Zones, and Sacred Groves at a 1:5000 scale. It found that the Umsaw Reserve Forest has the highest percentage (99.77%) of its total geographic area under high and very high fire vulnerability categories.
Using Google Earth Engine, the study mapped the forest burnt area using the Normalized Burned Ratio for 2015 to 2021. The highest burnt area was recorded in 2020 (1,144.35 sq km), with the West Khasi Hills district consistently having the largest burnt area (more than 100 sq km each year). Mawshynrut in the West Khasi Hills district emerged as the most affected block, having the highest burnt area.
To facilitate better management and monitoring, a single-window dashboard platform named the “Meghalaya Forest Fire Information System” has been developed. This platform provides interactive visualization and analysis of forest fires across districts, blocks, government-owned forests, protected areas, biosphere reserves, eco-sensitive zones, and sacred groves. It also includes data on areas under shifting cultivation (2005-2021), burnt areas (2015-2021), villages, roads, settlements, and satellite base layers.
Additionally, a mobile app called the “Forest Fire Incident Reporting App” is available on the Google Play Store. This app allows users to report forest fires, both online and offline, including information on location, area, and type of forest fire. It supports multiple languages, including English, Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia, spoken in Meghalaya.
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