Farm Fires Are Rising: How Much Do They Add To Delhi's Pollution?

The air people breathe in India depends heavily on where they live. Official data show that many cities in the north are recording poorer air quality than much of the south, with pollution clustering across the Indo-Gangetic Plain. 

Data from the Daily AQI bulletin of the Central Pollution Control Board show that the 24-hour average air quality index in many cities across northern India is worse than in much of southern India.

Delhi is among the cities facing elevated pollution levels. Data from the board's monitoring stations show notable differences between locations, with several parts of the city recording worse air quality than others. This shows how exposure to pollution varies within the same urban area.

What Is Driving Delhi's Pollution?

Data from the Decision Support System for Air Quality Management in Delhi, from the Ministry of Earth Sciences, show that the city's air pollution comes from several sources, not a single one.

Pollution transported from the wider National Capital Region accounts for the largest share on 26 October 2026, contributing 37 per cent of Delhi's PM2.5 pollution. Transport emissions contribute 20.8 per cent, and other sources 13.3 per cent. Stubble burning contributes 10.9 per cent, which places it among the major contributors in the same period.

Farm fires are not the biggest source of pollution, but their role has been growing during the harvest season.

Data from the same system show that the share of stubble burning in Delhi's pollution stayed relatively low through September and the first half of October. As crop-residue burning intensified in neighbouring states, the contribution from stubble smoke climbed steadily, reaching 10.94 per cent (forecast) on 26 October. The rise indicates that farm-fire emissions are becoming a more significant part of Delhi's pollution mix as winter approaches.

Where The Fires Are Burning

Satellite-based fire data help explain the increase.

A location-wise analysis of farm-fire incidents since 15 September, by the Consortium for Research on Agroecosystem Monitoring and Modelling from Space and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, shows that most incidents are concentrated across northern and central India. Punjab recorded the highest number of incidents (581) among all states. Madhya Pradesh (468) and Rajasthan (438) followed. Uttar Pradesh (286) and Uttarakhand (141) completed the top five.

The spatial distribution of these fires shows dense clusters across Punjab and parts of neighbouring states, which is why stubble burning comes under focus every year as pollution levels begin to worsen in north India.