Dear Editor,
Forest fires up in the hills, during summer, are not unusual. However, what is surprising is the ill-preparedness of the officials.
Despite the availability of satellite imagery that helps track forest fires, a coordinated action, necessary to fight the fires, was missing.
What is indisputable, however, is the extra dry whether, followed by an early onset of summer that left the forest floors dry and inflammable.
A combination of the El Nino phenomenon in 2015-2016 and climate change can be blamed for this incident. On top of it, political uncertainty that has gripped the State since mid-March, seems to have contributed to the situation.
Sudhir Kumar
Kathua