Nagpur Fire Incidents Surge 91% in March, Garbage Fires Hit Record Levels
Nagpur, India: Nagpur's fire department has reported a significant increase in fire incidents, with 218 fire calls in March 2025—almost double the 114 calls from February. This rise has been linked to higher daytime temperatures, which not only cause more accidental fires but also increase the number of garbage fires. Nearly half of the fires in March were caused by burning garbage.
With the rising heat, dry waste, plastic, and other flammable materials in open dumps are becoming more likely to catch fire, either on their own or due to people setting them alight. These fires are also making the air quality worse and causing health risks to residents.
Fire incidents have been steadily increasing throughout the year. In January, the fire department received 121 calls, averaging around four per day. However, March has become the busiest month so far. By March 17, there were 68 garbage fires reported. The first two months of 2025 alone had 26 garbage fire incidents, putting the city on track to break past records.
Garbage-related fires have gone up by 78.8% over the last three years. In 2022, there were 33 garbage fires, and in 2024, the number rose to 59. Officials are worried that this trend will continue in 2025. Many of these fires happen in residential areas or near dumpsites on the city’s outskirts, especially in slum areas, where even small fires can quickly grow out of control.
In response, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has started imposing fines on people who burn garbage and is looking at stricter rules for waste disposal. Despite efforts to raise awareness, some residents continue to burn garbage in open areas, making the situation worse. Firefighters warn that as the summer heat increases, the risk of more fires could grow, threatening lives and property.
Another concern is the growing number of fires in illegal godowns on the outskirts of the city. In the past week, four fires were reported at these unregulated storage facilities, highlighting the lack of safety measures. Many of these godowns are near residential areas, increasing the risk to homes and people living nearby. Authorities say the absence of fire safety equipment at these godowns makes them more vulnerable to large fires.
To tackle these problems, the NMC is increasing monitoring of garbage dumping sites and urging residents to report fires immediately. Fire officials are also reminding people to dispose of their waste responsibly, as careless garbage burning combined with rising temperatures could lead to more dangerous fires in Nagpur this summer.
