Forest fire operations continue in Uttarakhand’s forests for the second consecutive day, with the assistance of an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter. Over the last day, the state has encountered eight new forest fires, destroying 11.75 hectares of land. According to the forest department’s daily report, the previous day witnessed 23 incidents that ravaged 34.175 hectares. Since November 1, 2023, Uttarakhand has recorded a total of 606 forest fires, resulting in the loss of 735.815 hectares of forest land.
Prasanna Kumar Patro, Chief Conservator of Forest for Kumaon, reported no significant fires in the past 24 hours. However, fires continue to burn in two to three locations in Nainital, along with one each in Champawat, Almora, Pithoragarh, and Bageshwar, as per Patro.
Efforts are underway to put out the fires in other areas, with firefighting operations aiming for swift control. The recent surge in forest fires is attributed to the heightened dryness caused by a heat wave in Champawat and Nainital districts.
The worst-affected areas, including Nainital, Haldwani, and Ramnagar forest divisions, are receiving heightened attention for extinguishing ongoing fires and preventing new ones. The involvement of stakeholders, such as the IAF, Army personnel, Prantiya Rakshak Dal volunteers, and homeguard personnel, has been crucial in the firefighting operations.
Additional government vehicles have been allocated to expedite the deployment of firefighting teams to affected regions. Locals, along with forest panchayat officials, are actively involved in firefighting efforts, acting as first responders.
To prevent further incidents, awareness campaigns are being conducted in hillside villages by forest department personnel, aiming to educate residents on forest fire prevention measures. Additionally, stringent actions will be taken against individuals found responsible for setting fires, with rewards offered for reporting such violations.
The IAF has deployed a Mi-17 V5 helicopter equipped with a Bambi bucket, capable of carrying 5,000 liters of water, to assist in extinguishing the flames in Nainital and surrounding areas.
