Question

In our country out of the total fires, the number of fires caused by the natural causes (lightening, rolling stones or rubbing of dry bamboo with each other etc.) is not more than _________ per cent of total number of fires.

• A. 5
• B. 20
• C. 15
• D. 12

Hint:

Since over $95\%$ of forest fires in India are anthropogenic, prevention efforts should focus primarily on community awareness, joint forest management (JFM), and strict enforcement of local fire regulations during the dry season.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Forest fires in India are classified into two broad categories based on their origin: natural fires and anthropogenic (man-made) fires.
Understanding the proportion of these causes is critical for implementing effective forest fire prevention, management, and policy-making strategies.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The vast majority of forest fires in India are anthropogenic in nature, resulting from both deliberate and accidental human actions.
Deliberate causes include fires lit by local communities to clear the forest floor for collecting non-timber forest products (like Mahua flowers or Tendu leaves), to promote fresh grass growth for livestock grazing, or for shifting cultivation (Jhum).
Accidental causes include campfire negligence, discarded matches, sparks from forest machinery, or burning debris from adjacent agricultural fields.
In contrast, natural causes such as lightning strikes, sparks generated by rolling stones in hilly terrains, or friction from rubbing dry bamboo culms are extremely rare.
According to national forest fire statistics and reports by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), natural causes account for less than $5\%$ of the total forest fires recorded in the country.
As a result, more than $95\%$ of all forest fires are directly or indirectly linked to human activities.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Hence, the percentage of natural forest fires is not more than $5\%$, corresponding to option (A).