Uttarakhand's forest fires are still raging; in only one day, 47 additional occurrences were reported, resulting in damage to about 53 hectares of forest. This fire season, there have been 478 occurrences throughout the state, resulting in the destruction of 571 hectares of forest area. The natural resources and biodiversity of the state are seriously threatened by these fires. Nanda Devi National Park, Kedarnath Forest Division, Rajaji Tiger Reserve, Terai East, Lansdowne, Haldwani, Ramnagar, Rudraprayag, New Tehri, Ranikhet, Almora, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, Champawat, Narendranagar, Uttarkashi, and Uttarkashi are among the regions impacted.
It is still difficult for the Forest Department to contain the fires, despite their best efforts. Rising temperatures have increased the number of forest fires, according to Nishant Verma, the nodal officer for forest fires. The agency is keeping a careful eye on satellite alerts, swiftly confirming ground reports, and acting promptly to put out fires.
Additionally, efforts are being undertaken to increase community involvement in containment and prevention of fires. Due to rising temperatures, Uttarakhand experiences dry vegetation and low soil moisture throughout the fire season, which lasts from mid-February to mid-June. Attempts to conserve forests are made especially difficult by this tendency.
