A combination of cultural practices, infrastructural drawbacks and especially the fragile environment in Kashmir region have added to the anxiety of winter fires in the Valley during winters. Winter fires in Kashmir are quite unique in bizarre terms.
Freezing temperatures compel people to depend on several heating devices, such as wood-burning stoves, electric heaters, the traditional Kangri, and coal-based furnaces, thus leaving them vulnerable to possible fire hazards.
Dense forests of Kashmir, being part of the regional ecosystem, also face wildfires; these wildfires tend to happen at the end of winter and beginning of spring due to dry grass and fallen leaves. Such fires not only kill valuable biodiversity but also pose threats to the adjacent settlements, because the fire, in many cases, moves at a tremendous pace through dry lands, accompanied by gusty winds.
The consequences of these fires have been catastrophic. Every winter, people lose their lives, their homes are reduced to ashes, and their livelihood is destroyed. More severely affected always happen to be the more marginalized sections and distant areas, which depend heavily on the absence of better firefighting infrastructure and timely interference.
Roads are mostly blocked by snow, leaving it impossible for emergency services to reach fire-stricken areas, worsening the situation.
Social and economic costs are deep. Most Kashmiris depend on the traditional houses for living, thereby burning several years of hard work. The psychological price of losing a house or business is also immeasurable, whereas the gap of inaccessibility with effective firefighting measures increases every fire season.
The first line of weathering fire incidents is meaningful in raising awareness and education among the public on preventive techniques. Local communities should be taught how to safely use heating devices, proper insulation in their homes, and the need to stow combustibles away from heat sources.
Public education campaigns sponsored by local authorities and non-governmental organizations would go a long way into ensuring that people get to understand the risks and adopt fire-safe behaviors.
Community vigilance is also paramount. Neighbors should look out for each other, most especially in rural and isolated areas, where chances of delays in intervention are high.
