Madhya Pradesh Dominates Crop Residue Burning This Season
Madhya Pradesh has become the epicenter of crop residue burning in India during the current wheat harvest season, responsible for nearly three-quarters of all reported fires. This shift comes as unseasonal weather conditions have temporarily halted the practice in traditional hotspots like Punjab, according to recent data.
Data Reveals Stark Contrast in Fire Incidents
The Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modeling from Space (CREAMS) released data on Tuesday showing that Madhya Pradesh recorded 989 out of 1,979 fires nationally in a 24-hour period. This brings the state's seasonal total to 12,617 cases, which represents more than 72% of the 17,342 fires documented across India during the wheat harvest.
In contrast, Punjab, which typically reports high numbers of crop residue fires, has seen only three cases so far this season. Officials attribute this sharp decline to unseasonal rain and hail, which have delayed wheat harvesting and prevented farmers from clearing fields through burning.
Long-Term Trends and Regional Patterns
CREAMS, which monitors stubble burning twice a year following paddy and wheat harvests, notes that Madhya Pradesh has maintained a dominant share of agricultural fires over the last five years. Between 2022 and April 14, 2026, the state accounted for 107,303 of the 215,881 total cases nationwide, nearly 50%.
This trend follows patterns established during the 2025 Kharif (paddy) season, where Madhya Pradesh also led the nation with 17,067 cases, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 7,290 and Punjab with 5,114.
Uttar Pradesh Also Reports High Fire Incidents
On Tuesday, Uttar Pradesh became the second state to surpass 50,000 total fires across the five-year tracking period. The Siddharthnagar district in Uttar Pradesh reported a single-day high of 1,997 burning cases, highlighting significant regional activity.
Across both Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, 29 districts have reported more than 100 fires each since the start of April, indicating widespread agricultural burning practices in these regions.
The data underscores a shifting landscape in crop residue management, with weather playing a crucial role in influencing burning patterns across different states in India.
