Regrowing Oak Trees May Curb Severe Wildfires in Northern India's Himalayan Forests

Oak trees once dominated the landscape of the northern Himalayan forests of India. Now, locals are attempting to restore them in hopes to curb the wildfires in the region.

The current qualities of pine trees in the area have not proven to be effective against fires.

Over recent years, the frequency and intensity of wildfires have increased in the Himalayan side of India.

With the current pine trees in the forest, the fires are reportedly growing due to factors caused by climate change and global warming.

In addition, climate change is not the only culprit behind the wildfires; the physical and chemical features of pine tree branches or needles also worsen the spread of wildfires.

The removal of pine trees dates back to more than two centuries ago during the British occupation of India.

During the period, increased industrial-related tree logging has driven out the ancient oak trees in the country. The oak trees were replaced with pine trees, which grow rapidly.

With the current plan of regrowing oak trees, locals are hoping it could curb the wildfires once and for all.

Severe Wildfires in the Himalayan Forest

(Photo : Wojtek Radwanski via Getty Images)

A number of experts have reportedly considered the wildfires between October 2020 and April 2021 in the Himalayans to be the worst with over 1,000 clusters of fires that occurred in the state of Uttarakhand, as per the National Geographic.

The wildfires were highly linked to the increased heating effects of global warming due to human-driven climate change.

However, the experts blame pine trees for the increasing occurrences of severe wildfires in the region, as per Hindustan Times.

Also read: Wildlife Species Being Threatened by Continued Wildfires in the Western US

Replacement of Oak Trees to Pine Trees

Since the British colonial rule of India in the 1800s, the logging and exploitation of oak trees have continued as part of the developing industry and railway infrastructure of India, according to the National Geographic.

Over time, the vacated roots left behind by oak trees were replaced with pine trees.

The occurrence of wildfires in the region had environmentalists looked into pine trees due to the high probability that they aggravate fire instead of curbing it.

Proposed Afforestation Solution

The environmentalists claimed that the pine needles greatly absorb and catch fire, as per The Times of India.

The environment enthusiasts have proposed a solution to India's forest officials and called on to review the so-called afforestation proposal.

Afforestation is the process of re-planting and re-growing plant or tree seeds in a specific area.

Under the said proposal, forest officials were instructed to review the impact of the situation and take into action the best solution possible.

Current Measures in the Himalayan Forests

In the last 12 years, the state of Uttarakhand has lost more than 24,000 hectares of forest lands due to the occurrence of over 13,000 wildfires, as per the New Indian Express.

Ahead of further wildfires, local authorities are preparing for potential environmental repercussions.

Wildfires or forest fires are not new to India. Replacing pine trees with oak trees in the Himalayans may be important since oak trees are known for their low absorption of wildfires.

The fire has significantly affected wildlife and natural ecosystems in the region.

Related article: UM study suggests climate change limits forest recovery after wildfires