A Case Study on Forest Fire Situation in Trashigang, Bhutan

Trashigang, a district in Eastern Bhutan with 16 gewogs, has a population of 51,134 people and a forest cover of 180,272 hectares. The district has 79% of the land under forest cover, which has been under constant threat of fires, with 64 forest fires reported between 2001 and 2007. The forest fires, caused largely by human activities, have changed the forest ecosystems of Trashigang endangering its rich biodiversity. 77% of the forest fires between 2001 and 2007 were reportedly due to unknown causes, whereas 21% were accidental and 2% intentional, consuming a total of 154,692 hectares of the forest. This study revealed that most of the fires that occurred due to the aforementioned reasons were related to agricultural activity. The majority of fire incidences which are termed ‘unknown’ are speculated to be actually anthropogenic in nature. Occurrence of forest fires is intertwined with community awareness. Public knowledge of the forest fire situation in the district is important to generate awareness. The district-level fire management systems and their operation as well as constraints faced by the District Forest Office is discussed. Recommendations for better forest fire management are suggested.