After Uttarakhand, forest fire now rages in Jammu and Kashmir

Forest fire broke out in Nowshera Forest Division of Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, even as locals tried to control the fire.

Forest Officer of Srinagar Range said that the fire broke out of control at around 4:30-5.00 pm, adding that there are no houses in the range. A massive fire broke out in the forest areas of Bathuni and Gambr of the Rajouri forest division in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday. This is the second incident of forest fire Rajouri district this year.

In Himachal Pradesh too, the forest fire incidents in different parts of the state are rising this summer. Rising temperatures and prolonged dry spells make forests more vulnerable to catching fire.

Even northern Uttarakhand state is fighting a massive forest blaze since days now. Tens of thousands of firemen along with teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Air Force have been deployed.