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Uttarakhand Fire: Valley of Flowers Blaze Contained
14 Jan
Summary
- Forest fire near Valley of Flowers remains at surface level.
- Scant winter snowfall and rainfall blamed for increased fires.
- Air Force support requested for inaccessible fire-fighting efforts.
A forest fire that ignited six days ago near Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, specifically in the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Valley of Flowers range, has been assessed as surface-level following an aerial survey. The fire, which started on January 9 at an altitude of approximately 11,500 feet, is challenging to extinguish due to the site's inaccessibility and steep, slippery conditions.
Senior forest officials stated that while the fire is not extensive, its location makes manual intervention difficult. The India Meteorological Department has linked the increased frequency of forest fires to weak winter weather systems, resulting in less snowfall and rainfall than usual across the region. January has so far seen no rainfall in the state.
In response to the ongoing situation, authorities have requested support from the Indian Air Force for water-sprinkling operations. Forest fires are typically more common in Uttarakhand between February and June, but the current incident highlights the growing risk exacerbated by dry weather, difficult terrain, and human proximity to forested areas.
