Increase in fire mishaps is worrisome
As winter is at its peak in Kashmir Valley a silent yet devastating reality is unfolding across the region with losses worth billions being reported every week. This devastation is being caused by the increasing fire mishaps with both residential and commercial establishments getting destroyed almost every day.
The region’s fire-services department is battling a parallel emergency as a sharp rise in winter-time fire incidents is being witnessed across districts. Notably, the J&K Fire & Emergency Services logged 6,752 fire-calls in 2024, covering residential blazes, rescues and urgent evacuations. The figures are even more alarming in the current year.
In the early days of 2025 alone, 41 incidents were recorded in the first week, including nine in Srinagar city alone— a wake-up call as winter is at its peak in the region.
Officials say the spike is driven by several inter-locking factors: widespread use of budget heaters, improperly managed LPG cylinders, overloaded wiring, and congested lanes that hamper fire-tender access in old city and various town areas.
Besides, there are areas which remain in accessible due to hilly terrain n and the non-availability of water in such areas to douse the flames causes the losses to be more than one could imagine.
Ironically, people do not check the quality of gadgets when purchasing. They also tend to ignore the warning signs imprinted on these devices and these heating gadgets are let to run for long hours which cause most of the fire incidents.
Besides, the improper use of traditional heating means like Bukharis, Coal tins, and traditional bon fire also increases the chances of fire incidents as is being witnessed these days.
The fire mishaps get worse as most of the structures build across Kashmir are being raised using wood as an essential and most commonly used component. Besides, the inner insulations and wires too are laid in such a manner that they increase the chances of fires getting ignited.
Compounding the danger, an unusually warm but dry winter season has left slopes and scrub in fringe areas highly combustible. In the 2024-25 the territory recorded 1,243 forest-fire incidents, more than in comparable previous periods, raising fears that vegetation fires could spread into inhabited zones.
This is another concern as forest fires too are being reported in huge numbers which has threatened the natural vegetation of the region besides causing huge damage to the economy as well.
Importantly, as the weather gets even colder in Kashmir region and the nights get even longer, the fire mishaps are due to increase in frequency and people need to get more vigilant and cautious.
Though lot of things are being planned by the authorities to mitigate the awareness among the local populace, but lot more needs to be done to help curtail the increasing fire mishaps.
The fire-services department needs to mobilise extra crews, launched awareness campaigns in schools and neighbourhoods, and pre-position fire tenders at high-risk pockets so that the time factors to reach any fire zone can be reduced to bare minimum.
