Massive Forest Fire Rages Nainital: Army, IAF Called In As Fire Reaches Uttarakhands HC Colony, Boating Suspended

Reportedly, 26 incidents of forest fire occurred in the state’s Kumaon region in the last 24 hours, while five incidents occurred in Garhwal region, where 33.34 hectares of forest area was affected.

The mountains surrounding Nainital have been engulfed in a devastating forest fire for the past 36 hours, as confirmed by officials. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has taken swift action by dispatching its personnel and MI-17 choppers to conduct a dousing operation in the affected area. Utilizing water from the nearby Bhimtal Lake, the IAF choppers are tirelessly spraying water to contain and extinguish the  blaze. Despite the relentless efforts of the forest department and the dedicated IAF firefighting team, the fire has already destroyed numerous hectares of the lush forested land. Reportedly, in the last 24 hours, 31 new incidents of forest fire were reported from various parts of the state, destroying 33.34 hectares of forest land.

In response, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has issued directives for heightened vigilance among officials, emphasising the need for seamless coordination across departments to combat the escalating crisis effectively. Meanwhile, authorities have apprehended three individuals in Rudraprayag for suspected arson attempts in the forests.

#WATCH | Nainital: The Uttarakhand government is working to extinguish forest fires in Nainital with the help of the Army’s MI 17 helicopters. https://t.co/AKbCmU9jMB pic.twitter.com/dL7EzGBcZC

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) April 27, 2024

Nainital forest fire: 10 latest updates

1. According to Nainital Divisional Forest Officer Chandrashekhar Joshi, the authorities have deployed 40 Manora Range personnel and two forest rangers to extinguish the fire.
2. As per daily bulletin issued by the Forest Department here, 26 incidents of forest fire occurred in the state’s Kumaon region in the last 24 hours, while five incidents occurred in Garhwal region, where 33.34 hectares of forest area was affected.
3. The forest broke out in the forest area near Nainital. It has spread near the colony, which is situated near the Pines area. It also affected traffic movement.
4. To control the blaze, personnel from both the forest department and the army are mobilised, with the possibility of deploying helicopters to extinguish the raging flames looming large.
5. Nainital Municipal Corporation Executive Officer Rahul Anand said: “We received information of IAF helicopters seeking permission to take water from Nainital to douse the fire. To make arrangements, we closed boating in the lake for the day.
6. Fire is reported in Nainital in many places, including very close to the Air Force Station in the district. “The main purpose of bringing in helicopters to douse the fire was to keep the Air Force Station safe,” he said.
7. Nainital’s forest department has pressed 40 personnel in the fire-fighting operations.
8. Since November last year, Uttarakhand has witnessed 575 forest fire incidents, resulting in the loss of 689.89 hectares of forest land and significant financial implications.
9. One of the arrested individuals, Naresh Bhatt, confessed to igniting fires to promote new grass growth for sheep grazing, underscoring the diverse factors contributing to the forest fire crisis in the region.
10. Puskar Singh Dhami said Nainital is facing a big fire. “The forest fires are a challenge for us. This is a big fire. We are working for all the essential needs. We have asked for help from the Army,” he said.

Forest Fire in the belt of #Uttarakhand. #Nainital, #Sattal and #Bhimtal have been victims of these fires. ARMY has been called in to help.@adgpi @IAF_MCC pic.twitter.com/K2bsQIxSFI

— Jacob Mathew (@Jacobmathewlive) April 27, 2024