Study mapped changing fire regimes across 13 Indian wildlife reserves (2002–2022)

Researchers from the Centre for Wildlife Studies analysed satellite-derived burned-area data (NASA MODIS) across roughly 20,000 sq km of protected forest land in 13 wildlife reserves, comparing fire regimes across the Western Ghats, Central India and the Eastern Ghats from 2002 to 2022. The study found burned area increased most steeply in the Eastern Ghats (9.3% per year) and declined in the Western Ghats (10.8% per year), with fire-return intervals estimated at 14 years (Eastern Ghats), 31 years (Central India) and 92 years (Western Ghats).