IAF Joins Efforts to Combat 8 New Forest Fires in Uttarakhand within 24 Hours: With the assistance of an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter, the firefighting operation in the forests of Uttarakhand continued on Sunday. According to officials, the blaze has been contained in several locations.
The forest department reported eight new forest fires in the last 24 hours, scorching 11.75 hectares, compared to 23 from Friday evening to Saturday evening, damaging 34.175 hectares.
The bulletin indicates 606 Uttarakhand forest fires since November 1, 2023, destroying 735.815 hectares.
Chief Conservator of Forests Prasanna Kumar Patro says Kumaon has not had a major forest fire in 24 hours.
Patro said fires are burning in two to three Nainital areas and one each in Champawat, Almora, Pithoragarh, and Bageshwar in Kumaon.
He said an IAF chopper deployed on Saturday confined the petrol spill in the Ladiyakata and Pines woods along the Nainital-Bhowali road.
The IAF sent a chopper to quell the Nainital forest fire on Friday as it threatened the Air Force base containing crucial equipment and the High Court Colony.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami assessed the Kumaon situation on Saturday night and stated that the forest fire in Nainital and other regions is being contained after the IAF chopper was sent on Saturday morning.
Patro announced that they will extinguish more flames soon.
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Uttarakhand’s lower Champawat and Nainital districts, which border Nepal, saw a hot wave that intensified aridity and forest fires in Kumaon
Forest fires hardest damaged Nainital, Haldwani, and Ramnagar, but officials were working harder to extinguish and prevent them.
Firefighters extinguished many fires, particularly in Khanana and Marora civil areas in Narendranagar’s Maniknath range.
Deepak Rawat, Kumaon Commissioner, said the Prantiya Rakshak Dal and homeguard joined the IAF helicopter and Army in fighting the fire.
He said each of the three forest divisions has two more government cars to transport firefighting teams.
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People, including forest panchayat officials who respond to forest fires, are being asked for help, Rawat said.
Forest department staff are visiting hill villages to educate the public about forest fires, as stated by Garhwal DFO Anirudh Swapnil (Pauri correspondents are contacted).
Loudspeakers broadcast messages. Swapnil advised people to report forest fires and avoid burn waste or cigarette butts or bidis in forested areas.
He also advised people to report anyone starting a forest fire, saying the forest agency will reward them.
He said that the Forest Act of 1927 would apply to anyone caught burning jungles.
Forest burning for livestock feed is common in Uttarakhand’s hills.
Forest department employees cannot take holidays until the fire is suppressed.
Dhami said forest department leave requests will only be considered in medical circumstances.
The Indian Air Force sent a Mi-17 V5 chopper to quell fires in Nainital and nearby locations. It uses a Bambi bucket to transfer 5,000-liter Bhimtal lake water into the enveloped trees.
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