Mongabay · Climate & nature

Women Bear Firefighting Burden in Rural India

In India's Western Himalayas, women are the primary first responders to forest fires, risking their safety with little formal support or pay.

Uttarakhand, the most fire-prone state, faces extended wildfire seasons due to high-elevation warming, impacting ecosystems and agriculture. As men migrate for work, women manage farms, livestock, and fire defense.

Women are often on the frontlines due to traditional roles like firewood collection. While men may be paid fire watchers, women are rarely compensated and lack protective gear.

Villagers use methods like ululating to alert others and gather to combat fires. They primarily use household sickles to cut branches for makeshift brooms (jhapa) to beat back flames or clear fire lines.

The physical toll is significant, with women battling fires in flammable clothing, often suffering burns, eye irritation, and respiratory issues from smoke.

Community-led prevention efforts, where women have authority, have proven effective. Organized women in Marhmanley have prevented major blazes for three years by insisting on planned, controlled burns instead of haphazard brush burning.

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