The forest fires raging in Uttarakhand escalated on Friday, with flames encroaching upon the High Court Colony in Nainital and posing a significant threat to residents.
Authorities reported three arrests in Rudraprayag for attempted arson in the forests, underscoring the severity of the situation.
Over the past 24 hours, 31 new incidents of forest fires have been recorded across the state, leading to the destruction of 33.34 hectares of forest land.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has urged officials to remain vigilant and collaborate across departments to mitigate the fires. While talking to ANI, Dhami said the wild fire is posing a challange for his administration, “We are constantly working to collect all necessary resources to douse the fire. Army has already been roped in,” he said.
The fire near Nainital’s district headquarters intensified, prompting concerns for the safety of residents in the High Court Colony. Efforts to contain the blaze have mobilised forest department personnel and army forces, with deployment of IAF MI-17 helicopter to aid firefighting.
Anil Joshi, an area resident and assistant registrar of the High Court, was quoted in a media report highlighting the urgency of controlling the fire, particularly given its proximity to sensitive Indian Army installations near the Pines area.
In response to the escalating situation, the district administration has prohibited boating activities in Naini Lake as a precautionary measure.
Forest officials have deployed significant manpower, including 40 personnel and two forest rangers, to combat the fires. The Kumaon region recorded 26 fire incidents, while the Garhwal region reported five incidents, collectively affecting 33.34 hectares of forest land.
Since November last year, Uttarakhand has witnessed 575 forest fire incidents, resulting in the loss of 689.89 hectares of forest land and significant financial implications.
Meanwhile, in a proactive move to prevent further arson incidents, authorities apprehended three individuals suspected of starting fires in Jakholi and Rudraprayag areas.
One of the arrested individuals, Naresh Bhatt, confessed to igniting fires to promote new grass growth for sheep grazing, underscoring the diverse factors contributing to the forest fire crisis in the region.
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Army helicopter deployed in Uttarakhand’s Nanital as forest fires worsens, three arrests made
