Forest Fire Reaches High Court Colony in Nainital, Uttarakhand; Army and Forest Department Called In

A devastating forest fire has reached the High Court Colony in Nainital, Uttarakhand, prompting the local administration to seek help from the army and forest department. The fire has engulfed an old and vacant house near The Pines area, but has not yet caused any damage to the High Court Colony. However, the flames have come dangerously close to the buildings, posing a significant threat to the residents.

To control the blaze, the Nainital administration has deployed a team of 42 personnel, including forest rangers. The Nainital Divisional Forest Officer has deployed 40 Manora Range personnel and two forest rangers to extinguish the fire. The authorities are considering the deployment of helicopters if the situation worsens, highlighting the gravity of the situation and the need for a coordinated response to mitigate the impact of the forest fire.

The district administration has banned boating in Naini Lake as a precautionary measure. There are concerns that the fire may reach the sensitive areas of the Indian Army located near the Pines.

Why this matters: The forest fires in Uttarakhand have become more severe and widespread, affecting nearly 690 hectares of forest land in the past 24 hours alone. The proximity of the flames to civilian areas and sensitive military installations underscores the urgent need for effective fire management and prevention strategies to protect lives, property, and the environment.

In the last 24 hours, 31 new incidents of forest fire were reported across Uttarakhand, with 26 incidents in the Kumaon region and 5 in the Garhwal region, destroying 33.34 hectares of forest land. Since November 1 last year, a total of 575 incidents of forest fire have been reported in the state, affecting 689.89 hectares of forest area and costing the state more than ₹14 lakh.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has asked officials to remain on alert and take measures to prevent the fires. Meanwhile, authorities have taken action against individuals accused of deliberately starting fires. Three men were arrested and sent to jail for allegedly starting forest fires in two different areas of Jakholi and Rudraprayag.

Key Takeaways

• Forest fire reaches Nainital's High Court Colony, prompting army and forest dept. help.
• Nainital admin deploys 42 personnel, considers helicopters to control the blaze.
• Boating banned in Naini Lake as a precaution, fire may reach sensitive army areas.
• Uttarakhand sees 31 new forest fire incidents in 24 hrs, affecting 690 hectares.
• CM asks officials to remain alert, 3 men arrested for allegedly starting forest fires.