Analysis of prevailing atmospheric conditions during wildfire events in the Indian Himalayan region

Abstract

Wildfire incidents have seen an exponential rise in the past few decades in India, particularly over the Indian Himalayan region, which has led to a huge loss of life and property. To mitigate and manage the impact of wildfires, a better understanding of key physical atmospheric processes conducive to the spread of wildfires is required. This study aims to analyze the atmospheric conditions associated with the propagation of wildfires in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand (India). For this, wildfire burned‐area data from the Uttarakhand (India) State Forest Department, in‐situ precipitation information from the India Meteorological Department, India, and atmospheric variables (temperature, relative humidity, soil moisture) from the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis v5 and Global Land Data Assimilation System datasets over the years 2000–2022 have been critically analyzed to infer the cause of the unprecedented spread of wildfires in Uttarakhand. The analysis suggests that the strength of the El Niño Southern Oscillation and Indian Ocean Dipole phases along with the precipitation pattern in the pre‐fire season due to western disturbances are dominant factors associated with the spread of fires. Further, the bimodal distribution of the vapor pressure deficit, having a peak during the fire season and post‐monsoon period, indicates increased dryness of fuels and increased susceptibility of vegetation to wildfires. These findings could be utilized to mitigate and manage the impacts of wildfire in the vulnerable Himalayan state.