Raging forest fire devours precious flora in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj

A relentless forest fire is wreaking havoc in Udala forest range of Baripada division, within strikingly biodiverse Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. Despite ongoing efforts, the Forest authorities are finding it increasingly challenging to contain the flames that are rapidly engulfing Tanakasahi reserve forest, sources said on Tuesday.

Also Read: Odisha Forest Fires: The bad, the worse & the ugly

According to the sources, this critical region is known for its rich biodiversity, housing both valuable Sal trees and a plethora of medicinal plants.

The blaze, which has persisted for an extended time, has hindered local forest officials from reaching the fire points expeditiously. Consequently, the raging fire continues its destructive path, threatening the ecological balance by decimating a wide array of trees and natural vegetation.

Worth mentioning, with progressing summer, the rising number of forest fires across Odisha has raised the concern of many environmentalists and nature lovers.

1,172 fire points detected in a week

About 1,172 fire points were detected in different forests of the State during the last seven days, a Forest Survey of India (FSI) data revealed.

The districts where wildfires were spotted between February 25 and March 4 are Odisha’s Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Bargarh, Bolangir, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Sundargarh, Boudh, Subarnapur, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Gajapati, Ganjam, Deogarh, Angul, Cuttack, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Dhenkanal, and Jajpur.

Any fire hotspot detected by the satellite, i.e. MODIS and/or SNPP-VIIRS sensors, which gets filtered in the forest area of India is regarded as a ‘forest fire incident’.

It is likely that wildfires raged due to a rise in temperature and dry weather conditions.

Climatic factors responsible for wildfire

Rising temperatures and dry weather have created tinderbox conditions, with 46 percent of 1,956 fire points in 2025 occurring during a single week of February. The FSI reported 11 large active fires in Koraput circle alone by mid-February, exacerbated by early leaf shedding patterns in southern Odisha forests.

Ecological vulnerabilities in Odisha

About 27.97 percent of the forests are classified as highly fire-prone, particularly deciduous systems covering 57,066 square kilometres. The Koraput circle remains most vulnerable due to its combination of tropical dry forests and human settlement patterns.
Human activities and man-made wildfires.

Must Read: Odisha likely to witness more wildfires this summer, warns PCCF

Anthropogenic causes dominate, including the slash-and-burn agriculture, Mahua (Mahula in local parlance) flower collection practices involving dry leaf burning and land clearing, particularly in Keonjhar’s tribal belts. More than 1,100 fire points in 2025 originated outside the formal forests.

Reported By: Abhijeet Biswal