Extreme weather behind Goa forest fires, says report

An investigation by Goa’s Forest Department has concluded that though the fires that raged across the state in the first fortnight of March were triggered “largely due to unprecedented extreme weather conditions”, “man-made” though “largely unintentional” causes also result in  forest fires.

The report, which was tabled in the state Assembly during the recently concluded Monsoon Session, also said that a total of 34 cases had been registered in connection with the fires against two people who have been identified and several others who are unidentified.

The report added that at this stage, all forest divisions were perceiving the cause of the fires in forest areas to be “man-made, though largely unintentional”.