A FIRE broke out in a place in the Sunderbans, the world鈥檚 largest contiguous stretch of mangrove forest, in the afternoon on March 23 a few hours after firefighters, aided by forest staff and volunteers, had that morning put out another fire that broke out in another place in the morning on March 22. The March 23 fire broke out in the area of Shaplar Bil and the March 22 fire in the area of Tapar Bil, both within a seven-kilometre radius, in the Dhansagar patrol post of the Chandpai range in the Sunderbans East Division in Bagerhat. Officials say that the place where the fire broke out on March 23 is some three kilometres off the nearest water body, the River Bhola, which has strained the fire-fighting operation. They say that they have built a fire line to stop the fire from spreading. And, two consecutive fires have left the officials struggling. The extent of the damage and the fire source could not be established. But, a committee has been instituted to investigate the incidents and submit a report in seven working days.
What remains worrying is that, as forest officials say, the frequency of fires in the mangrove forest has increased. There had been 40 fires, as media reports say referring to forest officials and local people, in the same Sunderbans area between 1970 and 2024; and, 25 of them took place between 2002 and 2024, suggesting an increase in Sunderbans fires in recent years. A reduction in water inflow, caused by sedimentation and blockades of canals, and an increase in dry regions are said to have made the mangrove forest more vulnerable to fires. In the 30 fires that took place in the forests in 19 years, 90 acres of forested land are reported to have been destroyed. Forested area spanning about 13 acres are reported to have been damaged in a fire that took place in May 2024. As fires are said to be taking place in the mangrove forest almost every year in the dry season, it is important that the government should put in place fire mitigation plans for the Sunderbans. It was heard that the government was drawing up guidelines to attend to the issue of fire, largely attributed to human activities, and the issues that cause such fires and hamper firefighting. But, anything concrete has yet to be forthcoming.
The government should, therefore, put in place fire mitigation plans and do whatever needed to both stave off risks of forest fires and to save the livelihood of the communities dependent on the Sunderbans forests.
