Valley faces a relentless foe: fire. From Baramulla to Anantnag, blazes are reducing homes to rubble. On March 24, 2025, a devastating fire in Baramulla left families homeless, followed by another in Anantnag days later. Last night, October 20, 2025, a massive blaze tore through downtown Srinagar’s Fatekadal area, specifically Narparistan, engulfing multi-story homes and forcing desperate evacuations through narrow lanes. In South Kashmir’s Tral, forest fires from Buchoo and Mandoora to Pinglish raged earlier this year, scarring green cover with over 20 incidents fueled by dry conditions. Forests across Bandipora, Srinagar, Pulwama, Anantnag, and Budgam saw nearly three dozen wildfires in April, doubling the 1,243 blazes of 2024-25. Aging wooden homes, faulty wiring, dry winters, and human errors drive this crisis, leaving dreams in ashes as Kashmir braces for a freezing winter.
As October’s chill deepens, surviving without shelter is unthinkable. Families, strained by the economic fallout of 2019’s Article 370 abrogation, now face sub-zero nights in flimsy tents, vulnerable to frostbite and despair. The Fatekadal victims join a growing list, shivering under open skies as aid lags. The government must act fast. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) should reserve a quota for fire victims, offering prefab homes, insulation subsidies, and swift relief suited for the Valley’s harsh terrain. Upgraded fire stations with modern tools and community training are vital to curb further losses. The 2021 fires, which destroyed over 1,700 homes across Jammu and Kashmir, cost billions and left wounds unhealed. With 41 incidents in Srinagar alone this year, including Fatekadal’s tragedy, urgent action could avert a winter disaster. Relief isn’t just aid—it’s a lifeline to restore warmth and dignity.
But Delhi can’t do it alone. Kashmir’s resilient people must step up. Avoid open flames near dry roofs, use affordable extinguishers, and report risks early. Mosques, schools, and youth groups can spread awareness; village patrols in fire-prone Tral can catch sparks. The Valley’s spirit, enduring as its chinar trees, thrives on unity. The 2020 DDC elections showed community strength despite boycotts—channel that here.
As winter tightens its grip, Kashmir’s plea rings clear: save its homes, its heart. Government, deliver shelter; people, stay vigilant. Every ignored spark risks another Fatekadal. Rebuild roofs and hope, ensuring no family faces the cold alone. The Valley’s soul shines bright—protect it, now.
