Wildfires in Algeria

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Wildfires in Algeria have killed 42 people including 25 soldiers.

About:

• President of Algeria, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, expressed condolences for 25 soldiers. They lost their life while rescuing people at the epicentre of the blazes.
• Areas of Bejaiea and Tizi Ouzou are epicentre of the blazes. Dozens of fires started in Kabyle region also.
• The Kabyle region is located 100 kilometres east of capital city Algiers. Area comprises of difficult-to-access villages and limited water.
• Algeria joins the string of countries like Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and western United States that were hit by major blazes recently.

Wildlife Fires

Forest fires are also called as bush or vegetation fire or forest fire. It can be defined as uncontrolled and non-prescribed combustion or burning of plants in natural setting like forest, brush land or tundra, grassland. It consumes natural fuels and spreads in accordance with environmental conditions such as wind or topography. Such fires can be incited by human actions like land clearing or extreme drought or by lightning.

Forest Fires in India in 2021

• In January 2021, Uttarakhand, Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh and Dzukou Valley at Nagaland-Manipur border witnessed prolonged wildlife fires.
• In February-March 2021, Simlipal National Park in Odisha saw a major fire.
• Bandhavgarh Forest Reserve in Madhya Pradesh and sanctuaries for Asiatic lion & great Indian bustard in Gujarat also reported wildfires in 2021.

Impact of Forest Fire

Forest fires have several adverse effects on forest cover, tree growth, soil, vegetation, flora and fauna. Fires turns hectares of forest useless and leave behind ash, which in turn make the forest unfit for any vegetation growth. Heat generated during fires damages animal habitats. It also decreases soil quality, soil moisture and fertility.