Srinagar, March 31 -- The rising number of fire incidents across Jammu and Kashmir is a stark reminder of how vulnerable communities remain to sudden disasters, and how fragile the safety net is for those who lose homes, livelihoods, and memories in the flames. Nearly 1,900 reported cases in just three years are not a statistic to be brushed aside rather a measure of recurring trauma, of families displaced and of the inadequacy of preventive systems that should have been stronger by now. While financial assistance has been disbursed, the question that lingers is whether compensation alone can ever match the scale of suffering or rebuild the trust of people who feel abandoned in the aftermath.

The role of the fire department must be scrut...