Profiling fires across wildlife reserves of southern India

by Apoorva Sodhi, Centre for Wildlife Studies
October 30, 2026

Wildfires are a natural part of many forests and grasslands, but changing patterns of fire regimes can create serious conservation concerns. Using satellite records, this study tracked burned areas across 13 wildlife reserves in southern peninsular India, grouped into Central India, the Eastern Ghats, and the Western Ghats, between 2002 and 2022. It found that burned areas increased in Central India and the Eastern Ghats but declined across much of the Western Ghats. The paper suggests that the practical way forward is to understand the needs of each reserve and manage fire in ways that support wildlife, nearby communities, and healthy ecosystems. Using satellite records, this study tracked burned areas across 13 wildlife reserves in southern peninsular India, grouped into Central India, the Eastern Ghats, and the Western Ghats, between 2002 and 2022. It found that burned areas increased in Central India and the Eastern Ghats but declined across much of the Western Ghats. The paper suggests that the practical way forward is to understand the needs of each reserve and manage fire in ways that support wildlife, nearby communities, and healthy ecosystems.

Keep reading: https://cwsindia.org/profiling-fires-across-wildlife-reserves-of-southern-india/

Read the Ecosphere paper: https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecs2.70786