Forest fires threaten Nainital

A seemingly innocuous act of setting a portion of the forest ablaze by a sheep herder in Tadiyaal village of Jakholi, Uttarakhand, has spiraled into a widespread inferno, engulfing engulfing vast swathes of the state's lush greenery.

The blaze has now reached the outskirts of Nainital, casting a pall of smoke over the picturesque hill town and prompting urgent measures from authorities to contain the flames.

Reports indicate that the fire has encroached upon Nainital's High Court Colony, posing a grave threat to nearby structures. In response, the administration has asked Army for help and now their personnel are working alongside firefighters to quell the inferno. The situation remains dire as the inferno persists, unabated, for over 36 hours, necessitating the intervention of the Indian Air Force, which has mobilized the Mi-17 helicopter for Bambi Bucket Operations to douse the flames.

A ban on boating in Nainital Lake has been enforced as a precautionary measure.