Forest fires rage in Pauri and Chamoli, 5,500 saplings destroyed in Narayanbagar

my uttarakhand news Bureau
Pauri, 20 May: Incidents of forest fires are rapidly increasing across the hill districts of Uttarakhand, with large stretches of forest land continuing to burn in several areas of Pauri and Chamoli districts, causing extensive damage to valuable forest wealth and raising fresh concerns over the impact on wildlife and the fragile Himalayan environment. In Chamoli’s Narayanbagar area, a massive fire in the Western Pindar Range of the Badrinath Forest Division has destroyed nearly 5,500 saplings planted this year, while in Pauri district several forest patches along roadsides and hill slopes were seen engulfed in flames.
In Pauri district, fierce fire was reported from forests near Buakhal and Sabdarkhal on the Pauri-Devprayag motor road, where flames spread rapidly through roadside forests as well as higher-altitude forest areas. The blaze is visible from long distances and thick smoke covers the entire region, creating alarming conditions for nearby residents and travellers. The forest officials said continuous incidents of forest fires are also severely affecting wildlife, forcing the wild animals to move out of forests in search of water and safer habitats, thereby increasing the risk of human-wildlife conflict in nearby villages and settlements.
Reports have also come in from some other parts of the state regarding forest fires. The officials said the beginning of the fire season had initially remained relatively calm due to continuous rainfall, which helped maintain moisture levels in forests. However, rising temperatures, dry weather conditions and strong winds over the past few weeks have significantly increased the vulnerability of forests to fire. Teams of the Forest Department have been rushing to affected areas after receiving information about fire incidents and are attempting to control the spread of flames with the help of local residents.
According to the Forest Department, 22 incidents of forest fire have been reported in Pauri district alone since the beginning of the fire season, with nearly 17 hectares of forest land already reduced to ashes. Officials admitted that the dry conditions and difficult terrain are making firefighting operations increasingly challenging.
Meanwhile, in Chamoli district, the fire in Narayanbagar has triggered serious questions over the preparedness and response of the Forest Department. The blaze, which continued for nearly two days in forest land below Leguna village, destroyed thousands of young saplings and caused damage worth several lakhs of rupees to forest resources. According to available information, around 5,500 saplings had been planted in the civil forest land area in 2025 as part of plantation and afforestation efforts, but the entire plantation was reportedly destroyed in the fire.
Local residents alleged that despite the fire continuing to rage for two days, the Forest Department failed to bring the situation under control in time, resulting in massive ecological and financial losses. Villagers claimed that had timely action been taken, much of the damage could have been prevented.
Responding to the criticism, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sarvesh Dubey claimed that the departmental teams have been continuously engaged in controlling the fire in the Narayanbagar area. He stated that forest personnel have been deployed in different locations since morning and are making every possible effort to douse the flames. He expressed hope that the fire would be brought completely under control soon.
Dubey said intense heat, scorching sunlight and strong winds were contributing to the rapid spread of the fire and were creating serious difficulties for firefighting teams. Despite the challenging conditions, forest staff remained stationed at affected sites and continued efforts to prevent the fire from spreading further into vulnerable forest areas.