The New Indian Express ·
Uttarakhand to study rising wildfire threat to high-altitude ecosystems
DEHRADUN: Alarmed by forest fires spreading towards Uttarakhand’s ecologically fragile high-altitude regions, the state Forest Department has decided to commission a detailed scientific study to assess their impact on alpine ecosystems, biodiversity and the famed 'bugyals', or Himalayan meadows.
Climate change and increasingly erratic weather are creating fresh challenges across the Himalayas. While intense monsoon rain, landslides and cloudbursts have repeatedly battered mountain districts, rising summer temperatures and prolonged dry spells are now increasing the risk of wildfires at higher elevations.
The concern intensified after fires were reported last year in forests around the Valley of Flowers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its rare flora and rich biodiversity.
