Nainital Forest Fires: Uttarakhand CM Conducts Aerial Survey; Air Force’s Bambi Bucket Ops Underway

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami conducted an aerial survey of the damage caused by a fast-spreading forest fire in the Nainital area on Saturday. He said that efforts are being taken to control the wildfire.

Taking to X, Dhami said, “An aerial survey of the damage caused by forest fire in Nainital area was conducted. We are continuously working to take strict action against the miscreants who set fire to forests and to control forest fire.”

Forest fires in Uttarakhand became more severe on Friday with flames reaching the High Court Colony in Nainital.

Notably, the fire — that broke out in the forest near the district headquarters — took a terrifying form, posing a major threat to the residents of the HC colony in the Pines area.

Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force also deployed Mi-17 V5 helicopter to undertake Bambi Bucket Ops — to control the wildfire — in the vicinity of an Air Force Station near Nainital.

CM Dhami has also asked officials to remain on alert and take all necessary measures to prevent the fires by coordinating with all departments.

Additionally, in view of the fires, the district administration also banned boating activities in Naini Lake. Nainital Divisional Forest Officer Chandrashekhar Joshi said, “We have deployed 40 Manora Range personnel and two forest rangers to extinguish the fire.”

In the last 24 hours alone, 31 new incidents of forest fires were reported from various parts of the Himalayan state, destroying 33.34 hectares of forest land. Of these, 26 were reported from the state’s Kumaon region and five occurred in Garhwal region.

Meanwhile, three persons, trying to set fire to the forests, were arrested in Rudraprayag on Friday. They were caught for allegedly starting fire in two separate areas — Jakholi and Rudraprayag.

Sheep herder Naresh Bhatt of Tadiyaal village, Jakholi, was nabbed from the spot while setting a fire in the forest, said Rudraprayag’s Divisional Forest Officer Abhimanyu.

During interrogation, Bhatt had said that he started the fire to grow new grass for grazing his sheep.

575 Fire Incidents In 5 Months

As many as 575 incidents of forest fires were reported in Uttarakhand from November 1, 2023 until now, affecting 689.89 hectares of forest area. These incidents cost the state more than Rs 14 lakh.

The district-wise analysis of forest fire frequency showed that Nainital recorded the maximum forest fire incidents during the period between February and April this year. This is approximately five times more than the previous year’s count, followed by Champawat, Almora, Pauri and Pithoragarh.

575 Fire Incidents In 5 Months

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