After Fire In Nanda Devi National Park, Forest Dept Confirms No Harm To Valley Of Flowers

Dehradun: After an aerial survey, the Uttarakhand forest department has clarified that the Valley of Flowers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is completely safe. Recently, there were reports about a fire incident in the Nanda Devi National Park, and there were rumours about a fire incident in the Valley of Flowers.

Recently, incidents of forest fires were reported in some areas of Nanda Devi National Park. As the possibility of such incidents is very low in winter, it caused concern among forest officials. Exacerbating the situation, some unconfirmed reports said the Valley of Flowers might also have been affected by the fire.

Considering the gravity of the matter, the forest department immediately decided to conduct an aerial survey of the entire area from a helicopter with the help of Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA). The survey results were reassuring. "The Valley of Flowers is completely safe, and no fire incidents have been reported there. No traces of fire have been found either in the core area of ​​the valley or in the surrounding sensitive areas," Sushant Patnaik, Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), said.

The headquarters of Uttarakhand forest department. (ETV Bharat)

Patnaik said fire incidents were restricted to some parts of the Nanda Devi National Park. "Small fires broke out in about three to four locations. But due to the limited amount of fuel available, it did not spread extensively. The intensity of the fires was low in all these locations, resulting in no significant damage to wildlife or vegetation. The fires were brought under control promptly," he added.

Since this area is considered extremely sensitive, the disaster management department was also kept on high alert to deal with any emergency. In addition, civil aviation helicopters were kept on standby for aerial firefighting operations, if needed. In most places, the forest department teams managed to control the fires using their own resources. Officials say continuous monitoring is underway to protect the rich flora and fauna of the site.

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