Madhya Pradesh recorded a loss of 3,172 square kilometers of forest area due to fires during the November 2023 to June 2024 season, making it one of the worst-affected states in the country.
The government released this data in response to a Parliament question on December 8, 2025. The figures reveal the massive scale of forest destruction across India.
Andhra Pradesh suffered the highest forest loss, with 5,286 square kilometers of area burnt during the same period. Maharashtra came second with 4,095 square kilometers, followed by Telangana at 3,983 square kilometers and Chhattisgarh at 3,812 square kilometers.
Across India, forest fires destroyed 34,562 square kilometers of forest area in the 2023-24 season. Other badly hit states include Odisha (2,463 sq km), Karnataka (2,088 sq km), Uttarakhand (1,808 sq km), Tamil Nadu (1,322 sq km), and Jharkhand (1,086 sq km).
State-wise Forest Area Burnt
| Rank | State/UT | Burnt Area (Sq Km) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andhra Pradesh | 5,286.76 |
| 2 | Maharashtra | 4,095.04 |
| 3 | Telangana | 3,983.28 |
| 4 | Chhattisgarh | 3,812.28 |
| 5 | Madhya Pradesh | 3,172.13 |
| 6 | Odisha | 2,463.74 |
| 7 | Karnataka | 2,088.35 |
| 8 | Uttarakhand | 1,808.90 |
| 9 | Tamil Nadu | 1,322.74 |
| 10 | Jharkhand | 1,086.46 |
| 11 | Himachal Pradesh | 783.11 |
| 12 | Bihar | 682.74 |
| 13 | Meghalaya | 463.95 |
| 14 | Jammu & Kashmir | 438.86 |
| 15 | Rajasthan | 424.47 |
| 16 | Assam | 419.20 |
| 17 | Gujarat | 408.61 |
| 18 | Manipur | 285.20 |
| 19 | West Bengal | 259.93 |
| 20 | Uttar Pradesh | 257.88 |
| 21 | Mizoram | 243.76 |
| 22 | Kerala | 208.96 |
| 23 | Tripura | 190.47 |
| 24 | Nagaland | 161.77 |
| 25 | Arunachal Pradesh | 126.03 |
| 26 | Haryana | 44.63 |
| 27 | Punjab | 40.55 |
| 28 | Sikkim | 2.08 |
| 29 | Goa | 0.45 |
| 30 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 0.00 |
| 31 | Chandigarh | 0.00 |
| 32 | Dadra & Nagar Haveli & Daman & Diu | 0.00 |
| 33 | Delhi | 0.00 |
| 34 | Ladakh | 0.00 |
| 35 | Lakshadweep | 0.00 |
| 36 | Puducherry | 0.00 |
| TOTAL | ALL INDIA | 34,562.33 |
The Forest Survey of India detected 2,03,544 forest fires during the November 2023 to June 2024 season. While this number is lower than previous years—3,45,989 fires in 2020-21 and 2,23,333 in 2021-22—the burnt area remains significant.
The current season (November 2024 to June 2025) has already recorded 2,38,309 fire detections, showing an upward trend.
What Causes Forest Fires
Environment Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh explained that forest fires happen due to natural causes like high temperatures, long dry periods, and lightning strikes. Human activities also play a major role, including shifting cultivation, deliberate burning for fodder, and accidental fires.
Climate change makes the problem worse. Rising temperatures, irregular rainfall, and accumulation of dry leaves and branches increase fire risks, especially in hill areas and dry forests.
The National Green Tribunal criticized Uttarakhand’s forest department for lacking basic firefighting infrastructure. The state has no protective gear, vehicles, or communication systems, with only one guard for every 2,448 hectares despite facing 1,276 fires in 2024.
The government has set up a satellite-based early warning system through the Forest Survey of India in Dehradun. This system sends alerts to state forest departments in high-risk areas including Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Uttarakhand.
Limited Funding for Fire Prevention
The central government released only Rs 30.76 crore in 2024-25 for forest fire prevention across all states. This compares to Rs 39.18 crore in 2023-24 and Rs 32.47 crore in 2020-21.
The funds go toward creating fire lines, hiring fire watchers, building water storage structures, buying firefighting equipment, conducting awareness programs, and restoring burnt areas.
The government has also trained 150 personnel in three specialized teams, working with the National Disaster Management Authority and National Disaster Response Force, to handle large forest fires.
The minister stressed that preventing and managing forest fires is primarily the responsibility of state governments and union territory administrations. The central government provides technical support, early warnings, training programs, and financial help to supplement state efforts.
The Forest Survey of India conducts forest resource assessments every two years and has completed a national burnt area assessment for the 2023-24 season to help track the damage and plan better responses.
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