Uttarakhand forest fires spread over 130 hectares threatening Char Dham
India
Forest fires in Uttarakhand have spread across more than 130 hectares and more than 200 spots since mid-February, putting the famous Char Dham pilgrimage route at risk.
Special teams are working on the ground, but low rainfall is making things tougher, said Chief Conservator of Forests Sushant Patnaik.
Rudraprayag records most damage
Rudraprayag has seen the most damage, while Badrinath Gopeshwar has reported the most incidents.
Fires are still active in Chamoli, Pauri, and Chakrata.
There is a bit of hope though: the weather department has issued an orange alert for rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning, hail, and strong winds on April 28-29, which could finally help calm things down.