Forest fires continued to rage in parts of Uttarakhand amid strong winds on Thursday, with frontline staff deployed across multiple districts including Dehradun, Pauri, Chamoli, Almora, Bageshwar, and Uttarkashi to contain the blaze. However, by late evening, rains in parts of the state provided some relief to the staff after days of relentless efforts.
Fire Incidents and Damage
Officials reported that at least 447 fire incidents have been recorded this season so far, ravaging nearly 366 hectares of forest cover. The fires have posed significant challenges due to difficult terrain and dry conditions.
Injuries and Casualties
In Sainj village in Chamoli, Jagat Singh Rawat, a 41-year-old fire watcher, was trapped while trying to extinguish fires. He was taken to a hospital where doctors said he suffered 30% burns and is currently undergoing treatment. State nodal officer of forest fire and disaster management, Sushant Patnaik, confirmed that one forest personnel has lost his life this season while battling flames.
Damage to Property and Orchards
In Chakrata, strong winds coupled with scorching heat on Sunday intensified a fire that spread to the Saraswati Shishu Mandir school, charring its storeroom and scorching window panels of several classrooms. Mayank Garg, divisional forest officer of Kalsi Soil Conservation division, said, "Eyewitnesses said the fire initially broke out in the grass within the civil area and was promptly extinguished by the departmental team. It flared up again in the evening and reached the school premises, destroying a storeroom inside."
Residents also reported damage to apple orchards as flames spread rapidly across steep slopes, making fire extinguishing operations challenging. Khem Singh, a Chakrata resident, said, "Trees in my orchard were scorched and several in neighbouring orchards were also damaged in the blaze." Meanwhile, nearly 80 kilometers away in Tyuni, three blazes were brought under control after several hours of firefighting operations on Thursday.
Fire Near Pilgrim Site
In Uttarkashi, a massive fire erupted near the Pokhu Devta Temple in the Badethi area on Wednesday night. Fueled by strong winds and dry vegetation, the flames spread perilously close to residential areas and the Gangotri National Highway, alarming motorists. Thick smoke engulfed a nearby guest house where around 70 pilgrims undertaking the Char Dham yatra were staying. Fire service personnel evacuated all guests to safety before launching a strenuous operation to douse the blaze.
State nodal officer Patnaik said teams are responding swiftly to every report of fire, and efforts are ongoing to control the situation.
