The forests of Uttarkashi and the Upper Yamuna divisions are currently engulfed in flames, destroying valuable forest assets worth millions. The rampant wildfires threaten the very existence of wildlife on the mountains. Upon receiving the information, teams from the Forest Department, SDRF, NDRF, and Disaster Management quickly arrived on the scene to control the inferno.
In the meantime, the fire has spread to the forests near Varunavat and Gufa, affecting local residents and pilgrims by the Ganga and Yamuna, creating a haze of smoke that has blanketed the entire area and significantly increasing the local temperatures.
Source: aajtak
Forest Department and NDRF teams deployed onsite
Local residents alerted the Range Officer of Badaghat via phone about the fire outbreak. Following the notification, a combined team of the Forest Department personnel, 5 SDRF members, a 16-member NDRF squad, and the Disaster Management/QRT team have arrived and are working to subdue the flames.
Source: aajtak
The fire continues to spread rapidly
Close to the district headquarters of Uttarkashi, the hillside of Varunawat is witnessing a fast-spreading fire. The Forest, NDRF, and QRT teams are struggling to contain the blaze, but it remains uncontrollable.
Prior to this, a severe fire broke out surrounding the Kainchi Dham temple in Nainital. The fire has been spreading swiftly due to the strong winds. Experts indicate that since the area is dominated by pine forests, containing the fire is particularly challenging.
Both Kumaon and Garhwal regions affected by the wildfire
The fires are turning the state's precious forest wealth to ashes. Kumaon's Pithoragarh reported the highest number of fire incidents, though the situation there is currently under control. Districts such as Almora, Nainital, Champawat, and Bageshwar have experienced forest fires, most of which have been subdued in the areas of Bageshwar and Champawat. In the Garhwal division, forested areas in Narendra Nagar, Uttarkashi, Mussoorie, Kotdwar, Tehri Garhwal, Gopeshwar, and Rudraprayag have been hit by fires. While some locations have been brought under control, there are still active fire zones. According to the Uttarakhand Forest Department, the fire has affected 749.6372 hectares of reserve forest area.
