The state Forest Department is all geared up to check forest fires, which usually break out when the mercury starts soaring towards the middle of May. Every summer fires affect thousands of hectares of forest land in the state, wiping out rich flora and fauna. Besides, the columns of smoke that rise from blazing forests also cause air pollution. Out of the total geographical area of 55,673 sq km, the forest cover is spread over an area of 37,032 sq km of which more than 8,267 km is prone to fires. Continuous dry spells have been one of the major causes of forest fires. Out of the total 163 forest ranges, 65 are fire-prone. Likewise, out of the total 486 forest blocks, as many as 248 are fire-prone and of the 1526 forest beats, 896 are considered vulnerable to fire hazard. Past experience shows that most of the forest areas in Kangra, Nahan, Bilaspur