J-K: Forest fire continues to rage in Udhampur's Narthan area for three days, firefighting efforts underway
Udhampur, May 26
A forest fire that broke out in the Narthan forest area of Panchayat Hartyan in Block Ghordi of Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district has been raging for the last three days, officials said on Tuesday.
The fire, which falls under the Ramnagar Forest Division, was reportedly triggered by a sudden rise in temperature and has spread rapidly due to strong winds in the region.
Community members living in nearby areas have joined firefighting efforts in a desperate bid to protect their homes. However, strong winds blowing through the region are further fueling the fire, causing it to spread rapidly across the difficult forest terrain and severely complicating efforts to bring the situation under control.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Ramnagar Naresh Majotra said multiple compartments and villages in the region have been affected by the wildfire.
"Active wildfires are currently tearing through several compartments and villages. In the North Range, fires are tearing through Compartments 11 and 12/N near Serbala village (Chillar Block), as well as Compartments 1, 2, 16, and 18/N covering Upper Barmeen village, Nallah Ghouran, and Phalal in the Barmeen Block. Our teams are currently on the ground working tirelessly to douse the flames. Multiple sectors within the Ramnagar division have been impacted," Majotra said.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, a massive forest fire broke out near Budogi village forest in Tehri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand, affecting around 14 hectares of forest area late Saturday night, officials said.
According to the Forest Department, the fire erupted in the evening near the district headquarters, following which firefighting teams were immediately rushed to the spot to control the blaze.
Speaking to ANI, Tehri Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Puneet Tomar said the situation is now largely under control and the fire has been extinguished.
He said, "The fire broke out in the evening. Our team here reached here very quickly, and the fire is being extinguished...So currently the fire is about to end, and it has gone downwards where there is no population, and it will end at a rapid pace in an hour and a half from now...Overall, around fourteen hectares of our forest area have been affected."
— ANI
Reader Comments
The local communities are the real heroes here. They're risking their lives to save their homes and forests. But why does it always take a disaster for the administration to act? We need better forest management and early warning systems. This is heartbreaking. 😢
Kudos to the forest department teams working in tough terrain. But we need a long-term plan - create fire lines, clear dry biomass, and train local youth as fire fighters. This is a recurring problem in Himalayan forests. Let's learn from Uttarakhand's response. Yaar, nature is punishing us for our carelessness. 😤
This is alarming. As someone who has hiked in the Himalayas, I know how precious these forests are. Climate change is a reality - rising temperatures, dry conditions, and strong winds are a dangerous combination. I hope the international community also steps in to help with firefighting technology. Praying for the safety of all involved. 🙏
Main issue is lack of preparedness. Every year same story - forest fires in multiple states, inadequate response, then political blame game. At least Uttarakhand showed quick response. J&K needs to learn. Also, why no mention of NDRF involvement? Our disaster management needs serious overhaul. Fire is no joke in these hills. 😠
Respect for the forest officials and villagers working day and night to control this. But we can't ignore that climate change is real. The sudden temperature spike is a warning sign. We need to plant more trees, create community awareness about fire prevention, and invest
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