Dehradun, Dec. 22 -- Gearing up the upcoming forest fire season, the Uttarakhand forest department has set its sights on two pressing challenges - containing recurring wildfires and tackling the growing incidence of human-wildlife conflict across the state, officials said. Forest force head Ranjan Kumar Mishra said preparations were already underway to mitigate the impact of fires that typically sweep through the state's forests between February and June each year. "All necessary measures will be taken to reduce the number of forest fires reported annually. Community participation will also be actively sought," he said. Earlier this year, the department resumed work on reviving British-era firelines to reduce wildfire spread, following clearance from the Supreme Court. The move comes after the court had, in a 1996 order, restricted tree felling at altitudes above 1,000 metres. Mishra said the revived firelines were crucial to restoring a fire management system that had grown ineffective over time. "Years without clearance of vegetation rendered these firelines overgrown with dense undergrowth that can no longer halt spreading fires," he said. Forest fires in Uttarakhand usually peak between May and June, severely affecting biodiversity - from soil microorganisms and insects to birds, animals, and people living on forest fringes. The state's forest cover stands at 24,303.83 sq km, accounting for 45.44% of its geographical area. Officials warn that the denser and more inhabited forest regions become, the greater the risk of fires. According to official data, 0.10% of the state's forest area is categorised as extremely fire-prone, 12.92% as very highly fire-prone, 27.64% as highly fire-prone, 20.01% as moderately fire-prone, and 39.33% as less fire-prone. In 2024, Uttarakhand recorded 1,276 forest fire incidents, claiming 13 lives - the highest toll since 2021, when eight people died. Among the fatalities last year were six forest workers who died while dousing flames at the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary in Almora district. According to the India State of Forest Report (2023) released by the Forest Survey of India, Uttarakhand reported 21,033 forest fires between November 2023 and June 2024 - the highest tally in the country. This was nearly four times higher than the count in the corresponding period a year earlier. Firelines, introduced by the British as part of an early forest management strategy, are strategically cleared strips of land devoid of vegetation and flammable material. These serve as barriers to slow or stop the advance of wildfires, a method the department is now seeking to restore across several vulnerable zones in the state....