forest fire

300 fire alerts in a day; Pauri among worst hit

‘258Ha Gutted This Summer Season’

Indian Air Force helicopters are battling a major forest fire in Himachal Pradesh's Kasauli. Mi-17 and Chinook choppers are dousing flames in inaccessible areas, even ferrying water from Sukhna Lake. Thick smoke billowed from the scenic town's forests, including orchards and oak trees, as authorities continue efforts to control the blaze.

School Partially Gutted & Apple Orchards Damaged In Chakrata

In the past decade, Nagaland has seen a staggering loss of roughly 800 square kilometers of forest cover, as reported by the chairman of the State Biodiversity Board. He passionately called upon local communities, who possess the majority of land, to step up in safeguarding the state's vibrant biodiversity.

A remarkable discovery in Barnham, Suffolk, reveals that early humans made fire 400,000 years ago. This finding pushes back the timeline for controlled ignition by hundreds of millennia. Scientists uncovered iron pyrites and flint, proving intentional fire-making. This changes our understanding of ancestral intelligence and planning. The site offers tangible evidence of early human innovation.

Rising temperatures are hurting people’s health, learning and productivity. This is a drag on the economy, but there’s no easy fix. We’ll need different strategies for each micro-region

Uttarakhand faces a growing 'ghost village' crisis as over 1,700 villages become uninhabited. Livelihood scarcity, climate change, and fading traditions drive migration, leaving behind elderly residents and silent fields. Experts emphasize the need for imaginative solutions beyond infrastructure to revive rural life and make villages aspirational again.

A unique, emoji-shaped Lake Rouge in Quebec vanished overnight due to a catastrophic outburst flood. This rare event, exacerbated by rapid snowmelt and past wildfires, highlights the fragility of postglacial landscapes under combined climate and human pressures. The loss deeply impacts the Waswanipi Cree, disrupting their traditional way of life.

Bhitarkanika National Park authorities are implementing special measures to protect wildlife during the intense summer heat. Artificial water tanks and renovated ponds are being utilized to provide drinking water, while increased patrolling aims to deter poachers. Special attention is also being given to penned crocodiles and hatchlings, with fire lines and extinguishers in place to prevent forest fires.

Tamil Nadu's forest department is enhancing fire preparedness after a recent blaze in the Nilgiris. Efforts include removing combustible exotic trees, creating fire trenches, and establishing a network of control centers with real-time satellite alerts. These measures aim to improve response times and combat rising fire incidents attributed to climate change and suspected deliberate ignition.