Uttarakhand Forest Fire Near Valley of Flowers Prompts IAF Assistance Request

A forest fire has been burning for five days near Uttarakhand's Valley of Flowers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Chamoli district. The blaze is located at high altitudes (3,500-4,200 meters) within Nanda Devi National Park, making it inaccessible for ground firefighting efforts due to difficult terrain and risks like falling boulders. Officials have sought assistance from the Indian Air Force for aerial surveys and potential water-bombing to extinguish the fire. Contributing factors include dry deciduous trees, accumulated leaf litter, low humidity, and potentially insufficient snowfall this year.