WATCH: Forest fires sweep across north India

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WATCH: Forest fires sweep across north India

Lucknow - The Indian government sent Air Force helicopters to drop water on the blazes covering nearly 23 square kilometres of pine forests.

By Agencies

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Published: Mon 2 May 2016, 11:14 AM

Last updated: Mon 2 May 2016, 1:25 PM

Massive forest fires sweeping across the north Indian state of Uttarakhand have killed at least seven people in recent weeks, and were threatening two tiger reserves, officials said on Monday.
After state firefighters were unable for months to put the fires out, the Indian government sent Air Force helicopters over the weekend to drop water on the blazes covering nearly 23 square kilometres of pine forests.

There were dozens of fires burning on Monday, spreading unpredictably and threatening two major tiger reserves - Corbett National Park and Rajaji National Park - according to state forest officer Bhanu Prasad Gupta.
Officials said the fires had been exacerbated by the year's dry weather, after two consecutive years of poor monsoon rains.
Since February, the blazes have spread to 13 districts destroying vast swaths of forest land across Uttarakhand, Gupta said.
Dense smoke was hampering efforts to put out the flames, he said.
"We are struggling to bring the situation under control," he said.
Authorities have detained four men for questioning on suspicions they started some fires in a bid to clear land for real estate development, according to Indian Environment Minister Prakash Javdekar.
He said the government would not allow the use of forest land for any other purpose.
"Not a single inch of forest land will be allowed to be encroached or diverted by anybody," Javdekar said Monday.
Experts expect the number of wildfires, as well as the intensity of those fires, to increase as climate change brings warmer temperatures that dry up forest areas and exacerbate the drought.
Additional Chief Secretary S. Ramaswamy, who held a high-level review meeting of forest department officials on Sunday, said 40 master control rooms were set up, and 1,166 fire extinguishing mobile groups were pressed into service.
Every group has five to seven members and in addition 14,000 villagers were trained in fire control.
According to an official, the number of people out in the field to spot fires has also been doubled from the initial 3,000.
One team each of the National Disaster Response Force was rushed to Nainital, Almora, Gauchar and Pauri.
A sum of Rs.5 crore was sanctioned to 'Van Panchayats' and 100 Programme Requirements Document jawaans were deputed in forest reserves to timely notice if any fire breaks out.
In the fire over the last 88 days, nearly 3,000 acres of forest cover has been damaged in Uttarakhand, sources said.
India is also struggling this year with the effects of the El Nino climate cycle, which has exacerbated drought conditions and could still weaken this year's monsoon, expected to begin in June.
The fires are likely worsening the already-high air pollution levels over northern India.
 


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