Dehradun: As forest fire incidents continue to spread rapidly across the mountainous regions of Uttarakhand, the state government is preparing to introduce a reward scheme aimed at encouraging public participation in forest fire prevention and control efforts, officials said on Tuesday.

Reward Scheme to Encourage Public Participation

Under the proposed initiative, individuals and teams performing exceptional work in extinguishing and preventing forest fires would be rewarded with cash prizes of up to Rs 1 lakh.

The details were shared during a press conference organised by the Uttarakhand Forest Department, where Chief Conservator of Forests (Forest Fires) Sushant Patnaik presented an overview of the state’s ‘Forest Fire Control and Management 2026’ strategy. Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal and Head of the Forest Department Ranjan Mishra were also present during the briefing.

Rising Forest Fires Linked to Climate Factors

Patnaik stated that Uttarakhand has been witnessing a steady rise in forest fire incidents due to factors such as rising global temperatures, prolonged dry spells, erratic monsoon patterns and climatic phenomena including El Niño.

He said the India Meteorological Department’s Meteorological Centre in Dehradun has forecast a further rise in temperatures and dry weather conditions, increasing the likelihood of additional forest fire incidents.

“Amidst the continuously rising incidents of forest fires in Uttarakhand, the state government will soon submit a proposal to introduce a reward scheme for those who help protect forests from fire. Teams and individuals who perform exceptional work in extinguishing and preventing forest fires will be awarded prizes of up to Rs 1 lakh. Additionally, prizes worth Rs 75,000 and Rs 51,000 have also been designated,” Patnaik said.

Strengthening Forest Fire Management System

During a presentation, officials revealed that over the last decade, Uttarakhand recorded 14,638 forest fire incidents affecting nearly 23,682.77 hectares of forest land. During this period, 35 people lost their lives and 76 sustained injuries.

According to data, 394 forest fire incidents have already been reported in 2026, impacting around 331.12 hectares, with one fatality recorded so far this year.

Patnaik also noted that the Uttarakhand government had classified forest fires as a “natural calamity” as early as 2003 and said the Forest Department is working with local communities and organizations to control the situation.

Infrastructure, Community Efforts and Preparedness

Officials shared that the state has 11 forest circles, 43 divisions, 283 ranges, and 2,393 beats, along with 11,217 forest panchayats supporting local forest management.

To strengthen response systems, an integrated command and control center has been set up along with 1,438 crew stations, 40 master control rooms, and 174 fire watcher towers. Communication systems have also been upgraded with wireless sets, GPS devices, and walkie-talkies.

The department has prepared 13,085 km of fire lines across the state for fire containment. Districts including Almora, Pauri Garhwal, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarkashi, Nainital and Pithoragarh have been identified as highly fire-sensitive zones.

The Forest Department has also introduced a helpline (1926) and a mobile app for public reporting. Community-based models like the ‘Sheetlakhet Model’ and ‘Jardhar Model’ are being used for fire management.

The state is also promoting awareness through ‘Agni Diwas’ and supporting livelihood-based initiatives like the Pine Pirul Collection Scheme, which incentivises locals to collect dry pine needles to reduce fire risk.

Authorities said 496 Forest Fire Protection Committees are active, and fire watchers deployed during the 2026 season have been provided insurance coverage of up to Rs 10 lakh.

Under the World Bank-funded U-PREPARE scheme, firefighting equipment has also been distributed across forest divisions to improve preparedness and response.