‘Flames of the Chill’; Winter Fire Incidents Surge Across Kashmir
Faulty heating, narrow lanes fuel winter blaze wave, fire-services answer thousands of calls as officials raise the alarm
Srinagar: As Kashmir braces for the deep freeze, the region’s fire-services are battling a parallel emergency: a sharp rise in winter-time fire incidents. The J&K Fire & Emergency Services logged 6,752 fire-calls in 2024, covering residential blazes, rescues and urgent evacuations.
In the early days of 2025 alone, 41 incidents were recorded in the first week, including nine in Srinagar city — a wake-up call ahead of the coldest months.
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 older districts.
“People do not check the quality of gadgets when purchasing… it is important to turn off these devices at night,” warned Er. Aqib Hussain Mir, Deputy Director of the Fire & Emergency Services.
Compounding the danger: an unusually warm but dry winter season has left slopes and scrub in fringe areas highly combustible. In the 2024-25 fiscal year the territory recorded 1,243 forest-fire incidents, more than in comparable previous periods, raising fears that vegetation fires could spread into inhabited zones.
Fire-services say they have mobilised extra crews, launched awareness campaigns in schools and neighbourhoods, and pre-positioned tenders in high-risk pockets. But access issues — narrow lanes, blocked alleys, remote villages — remain a critical challenge.
Residents are being urged to use certified heating devices, switch off appliances at night, keep LPG cylinders outside sleeping areas, maintain fire-extinguishers and keep lanes clear for emergency access. As one official put it, “Prevention must become as routine as turning on the heater.”
With colder weather and longer nights ahead, authorities say the coming weeks will test both preparedness and public vigilance — and hope the rising flame count can be slowed before it turns into a winter-tragedy.
