Study: Farm Fire Monitoring Flawed, Misses Fires; UP/MP New Hotspots

• A new report calls for more rigorous monitoring of farm fires, including burnt area data, due to underestimation by current satellite systems.
• Current polar-orbiting satellites miss most large farm fires, which now occur after 3 PM, leading to misleading government data on fire reduction.
• iFOREST analysis shows a 37% reduction in burnt area in Punjab and 25% in Haryana, significantly less than the 90% reduction suggested by active fire counts.
• Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are emerging as new hotspots for farm fires, requiring expanded monitoring focus.
• Experts urge an overhaul of the monitoring system to integrate burnt-area mapping and geostationary data for accurate policymaking.

Why It Matters: Inaccurate farm fire data prevents effective policy, impacting air quality and public health.