Dehra Dun, June 04: A state of high alert was declared in Uttaranchal today after seven people including five children were killed as forest fires spread to new areas including the famous Jim Corbett and Nanda Devi national parks. Two people were burnt alive in Tehri district taking the death toll due to raging fires in the last three days to eight. Five children between 10 and 17 years of age literally walked into the leaping flames as they were caught unawares when they went to play in the jungles in Naulakot area of Almora district, superintendent of police, Almora, Mohan Singh Bangyal said. With alarming rise in fires across the hill state, Uttaranchal Forest Commissioner R S Tolia this evening held a high-level meeting with the top officials of all the 13 districts and directed them to deal with the problem like a natural disaster. He instructed the officials to set up control rooms and put all the staff on high alert all over the state. Tolia said 55 incidents of fire were reported from the famous Jim Corbett National Park in Kumaon region. But it was not immediately known if the fires had affected the flora and fauna of the area. Bureau Report