New Delhi, Apr 27 (PTI) As temperatures rise across the national capital, fire incidents have also surged, with the Delhi Fire Service responding to about 120 calls per day in April, up from the 70-80 calls received daily in the pre-April period.
The DFS has responded to more than 3,200 calls this month till Sunday, with the past week receiving more than 200 calls, an official said.
“There is no single specific reason behind the increase in fire calls. Heat alone is not the only factor, but it is certainly a major contributing one. As temperatures rise, the load on the electrical infrastructure increases significantly. Air conditioners run continuously, wiring heats up, and transformers operate under stress, which raises the chances of short circuits and fire incidents,” a DFS official told PTI.
The official further added that the weather is also extremely dry at this time, which makes conditions more vulnerable, and that even a small spark can quickly escalate because materials are dry and highly combustible. Once a fire starts, it tends to spread faster than usual under such conditions.
“We do observe a seasonal rise in fire incidents during summer months every year, but this time the increase has been sharper. The combination of sustained high temperatures, dry winds and increased power usage is making the situation more challenging. Our teams are on alert and responding to a significantly higher volume of calls daily,” the official said.
The spike in fire calls comes as Delhi continues to reel under high temperatures, fluctuating between 40 and 42 degrees Celsius in recent days.
On April 25, the city recorded a maximum of 42.8 degrees Celsius, 5.1 degrees above normal, making it the highest April temperature recorded in the last four years, since 2022 when the mercury had reached 43.5 degrees Celsius on April 28.
On Monday, at Safdarjung, the city’s base station, the maximum temperature was recorded at 42.3 degrees Celsius, 3.3 degrees above normal, making it the second-hottest day of the month.
Palam also recorded a maximum of 42.3 degrees Celsius, about 2.1 degrees above normal, while Lodhi Road logged 42.4 degrees Celsius, about 4.4 degrees above normal.
The Ridge station recorded the highest maximum at 43.8 degrees Celsius, about 4.3 degrees above normal, followed by Ayanagar at 43.2 degrees Celsius, around 3.7 degrees above normal.
However, some respite is expected in the coming days, with the weather office forecasting thunderstorms, gusty winds and light rain from Tuesday onwards, which could bring a dip in temperatures next week. PTI SGV SGV APL APL
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