Bridging the Science-Policy Gap in Forest Fire Management: Implications for Climate Action in the Indian Himalayas

Forest fires in the Indian Himalayas are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change induced weather conditions and increasing anthropogenic pressures. These fires release large quantities of greenhouse gases and black carbon, which disrupt the regional carbon budget. The deposition of black carbon on glaciers accelerates melting, contributing to glacial retreat and amplifying regional warming. Additionally, forest fires releases the C stored in vegetation and top layer. This further degrades soil quality, reduces its capacity for carbon sequestration, hinders vegetation regrowth, and aids/fuels soil erosion. Despite these critical impacts, this wide array of feedback effects remain missing from the regional carbon budgeting exercises. Further, community empowerment and participation in natural resource conservation and forest fire management plans remain insufficient, further weakening resilience and response mechanisms.

Analysis of secondary data highlights that, while forest fires are recognized as a significant risk, the development of actionable strategies is still in its nascent stage. Existing plans fail to give enough emphasis on community-based approaches, ignoring the pivotal role of local stakeholders in monitoring, preventing, and managing fires. Annual emissions from forest fires in the Himalayas have a potential to significantly contribute to India’s GHG inventory, undermining national carbon sink targets under the Nationally Determined Contributions.

This study identifies critical gaps in mainstreaming forest fire prevention and mitigation in the regional carbon cycle.  Such gaps include improper understanding,  inadequate budget allocations, fragmented policy frameworks, limited use of science-driven tools and lack of community engagement.  The study emphasizes the need to integrate community empowerment & engagement practices into forest fire management plans, encouraging participation through capacity-building programs, financial incentives, and shared decision-making processes. Additionally, advanced technologies such as remote sensing, AI-ML, and real-time monitoring systems can enhance early warning and prevention efforts. Integrating an active EWS with a quickly mobilised fire-fighting/response cell at the community level, will be a gamechanger. 

Bridging the science-policy gap by fostering community-driven and technology-enabled approaches is essential for aligning forest fire management with India’s climate goals. Such efforts can ensure sustainable ecosystems, resilient livelihoods, and effective carbon budgeting in the Indian Himalayas.