PRAYAGRAJ, April 30 -- As temperatures soar and dry winds sweep across the district, Prayagraj has witnessed a sharp spike in fire incidents, keeping firefighters on their toes through the peak summer. As a stark reflection of the heatwave impact, the number of reported fire outbreaks jumped from just 64 in January to a staggering 501 incidents in the first 28 days of April alone. According to district chief fire officer (CFO), CM Sharma, the department received an average of 20 to 25 fire-related distress calls daily throughout April, with some days recording as many as 30 to 35 calls. The surge, officials say, is largely driven by incidents in rural areas. Nearly 80 to 85 per cent of the fires reported this month originated from villages, mostly after the harvesting of wheat crops. In just four months this year, firefighters reported 867 cases and saved 106 lives. "The stubble left in the fields is either deliberately set ablaze to clear farmland or catches fire due to extreme heat and external factors," the CFO said. He added that the second most common cause behind the outbreaks was overheating of electrical equipment, particularly transformers, stressed by heavy power consumption during the summer months. The rising threat has prompted the fire department to intensify inspections across the district. A special fire safety audit was carried out between April 14 and 20 in private hospitals, nursing homes, schools and commercial establishments to assess their readiness to handle fire emergencies. The audit revealed serious gaps in preparedness at around 55 establishments. The department issued warnings to these units, directing them to implement necessary safety measures at the earliest. Official records underline the seasonal trend. In January 2026, the district reported 64 fire incidents, during which fire personnel rescued 19 people. February saw 86 incidents with 27 lives saved. As temperatures climbed in March, the number of fires nearly tripled to 216, with firefighters rescuing 35 people. Between April 1 and April 28, the figure surged to 501 incidents, though the number of lives saved stood at 25. The data also highlights the district's longer-term fire safety efforts. Over the past eight years since 2018, a total of 4,519 institutions across various categories have implemented prescribed fire safety infrastructure and received No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the department. The CFO said that the fire safety wing conducts routine inspections of every issued NOC at three-year intervals. Educational institutions form the largest group to have complied, with 1,532 schools and coaching centres securing NOCs. They are followed by 1,275 government offices and public institutions, 504 residential buildings, 386 industrial units and 296 assembly spaces such as private hospitals, nursing homes and cinema halls. Other categories include mercantile establishments, business units, hazardous installations like petrol pumps and cracker shops, and several storage facilities. Manpower shortage Despite the rising workload, the fire department is functioning with a severe manpower shortage. Against a sanctioned strength of 328 personnel, only 200 staff members are currently available, leaving a gap of 128 firefighters-nearly 39 percent fewer than required. The district presently has nine fire stations equipped with 23 fire tenders of varying capacities-8000, 5000 and 4500 litres-as well as four firefighting bikes designed to navigate the city's narrow and densely populated lanes....