Forest Fires in India
Context:
A recent environmental analysis highlights that 2026 is emerging as a severely concerning outlier for wildfires across India.
Early data indicates a massive spike in both the frequency and intensity of forest fires, pointing to a potentially devastating fire season exacerbated by fading winters and rising temperatures.
Trends and Data:
During the first two months of 2026, forest fires in India surged by more than 80% compared to the average trends recorded over the past decade (since 2014).
When compared specifically to 2024—which stands as the warmest year on record—overall fire activity in forested regions was reported to be over 50% higher.
It is not just the sheer volume of fires causing alarm.
The actual intensity of the blazes, which is measured by the rate of thermal energy released from the burning vegetation, has also sharply increased.
Distribution & Impact:
The North East Epicenter:
North East India remains the most severely affected region, consistently reporting the most intense and energy-intensive forest fires in the country.
In Arunachal Pradesh, fires began spreading rapidly in mid-February, affecting multiple areas and prompting civilian evacuations.
Between November 2025 and mid-March 2026, over 110 localized fires were reported by the state forest department.
High-Altitude Blazes:
In highly unusual environmental events, the fires spread to extreme altitudes.
In the remote Anjaw district, blazes were tackled at altitudes between 900 to 1,060 metres, with some instances reaching even above 2,800 metres.
The crisis grew so severe in the Lohit valley that Indian Army personnel were forced to join Indian Air Force (IAF) teams to execute aerial drops of over 12,000 litres of water to contain the spreading flames.