Pune Records 323 Forest Fire Cases in 2025, February Worst-Hit
Pune Records 323 Forest Fire Cases in 2025, February Worst-Hit ( representative Image )
Pune: The city has witnessed a sharp rise in forest fires this year, with the fire department registering 323 cases since January. February alone accounted for 141 incidents, followed by 128 in March and 54 in January.
A major fire at Susgaon Hill on March 20 required the deployment of three fire vehicles and took over three hours to control. Officials attributed the increasing incidents to soaring temperatures, early dryness of vegetation, and neglected private land, where dry grass and bushes are not cleared, leading to larger fires.
Nilesh Mahajan, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the fire department, said, “We received a call about the fire around 10:15 PM. The biggest challenge was accessibility, as hilly terrain and lack of proper roads made it difficult for vehicles to reach the site. The fire spread across a vast area, adding to the difficulty.”
Forest guard Sagar Hole noted that the fire quickly spread from the foothills to the hilltop, affecting nearly one hectare of forest land. “Fortunately, no wildlife losses have been reported. We have registered a case against an unknown person and are investigating the cause,” he added.
An official, speaking on condition of anonymity, highlighted that Pune’s hills fall under two categories—private and forest land. While forest land is maintained, private land remains overgrown with dry grass, often ignited for clearing purposes. In the Sus area, locals suspect the fire may have been started by individuals involved in construction activities.
Authorities urge stricter monitoring and preventive measures to curb the rising number of forest fires, which pose a severe threat to vegetation and wildlife.
 | ReplyForwardAdd reaction |
