Uttarakhand forest fire: IAF continues fire fighting operations in Pauri, Tehri districts

(Credits: ANI)

Dehradun: The Indian Air Force (IAF) continues to carry out fire fighting operations in Uttarakhand on Tuesday (April 6), which is the second day. Several sorties are being conducted over the burning forests of Pauri and Tehri districts to spray water over the flames and extinguish them.

The IAF started operations in the state after the central government extended help to the Uttarakhand government to extinguish the fires in the forests of the mountainous areas that broke out on Friday. Amid the operation, water collected from Tehri lake was sprinkled with the help of a 5000-litre capacity bucket.

Earlier till Monday (April 5), the Uttarakhand forest department had received reports of at least 40 active forest fires. As the temperature is increasing in the state, the incidents of such forest fires is also on rise. 

Following the rise in the incidents, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat on Sunday held an emergency meeting on the situation and apprised Union Home Minister Amit Shah. After which the Centre rushed NDRF teams and helicopters for assistance.

"To control over the forest fire in Uttarakhand, the Central government has given orders to deploy NDRF teams and provide helicopters to the Uttarakhand government," Shah tweeted in Hindi.