Dehradun, March 31 -- The state forest minister Subodh Uniyal on Monday said March has been relatively "relieving" in terms of forest fires, attributing it to timely rainfall and enhanced preparedness by the forest department and district administrations. "March has been a relief as far as forest fires are concerned. Rainfall during the month has helped in controlling incidents. With the strength of our manpower and the promptness of officials, we have been able to manage the situation effectively," Uniyal said. He said the department has strengthened coordination at the district level by appointing senior officers as nodal officers. "We have deployed PCCF-level officers as nodal officers in districts. Along with this, the involvement of the district administration under the leadership of the district magistrates has ensured better implementation of fire mitigation measures," he added. The minister said, "We have provided Rs.10 lakh insurance cover for fire watchers to strengthen forest fire control measures. In addition, better equipment has been made available to them." According to official data, 86 forest fire incidents have been reported in the state since the beginning of the forest fire season on February 15, affecting 45.85 hectares of forest land. Forest fires in Uttarakhand are typically reported between February and June, peaking in May and June due to dry weather and rising temperatures. Such fires significantly impact biodiversity, affecting soil microorganisms, wildlife, insects, birds and communities living near forest areas. Uttarakhand has a forest cover of 24,303.83 sq km, accounting for 45.44% of its geographical area. The presence of human habitations near forested regions increases the risk of fires. Of the total forest cover, 0.10% falls under the extremely fire-prone category, 12.92% under very highly fire-prone, 27.64% under highly fire-prone, 20.01% under moderately fire-prone and 39.33% under the less fire-prone category. According to the India State of Forest Report 2023, published by the Forest Survey of India and released in December 2024, Uttarakhand reported 21,033 forest fires between November 2023 and June 2024 -the highest among all states -marking nearly a four-fold increase compared to the same period a year earlier. According to the IMD, Dehradun data, in March so far, the state received 58.4 mm of rainfall against a normal of 52.8 mm, recording a positive departure of 11%....