UTTARKHAND DARSHAN's video: Uttarakhand forest fire

Indian Air Force deployed a 11-member team with Mi-17 helicopter to control the fire. With major fires blighting around 1,900 hectares of forests in Uttarakhand, the government today decided to press two MI-17 helicopters into service as NDRF, SDRF and Army personnel struggled to douse the flames which have claimed six lives till now. A total of 1890.79 hectares of green cover have been destroyed this fire season which had an early start on February 2 due to a dry winter. Chamoli, Pauri, Rudraprayag, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Almora, Pithoragarh and Nainital are the worst-affected districts. While three NDRF teams and one SDRF company are busy dousing the flames in different parts of the state, two IAF choppers have been sent to Nainital and Pauri districts, among the worst hit, to spray water over the burning jungles, officials here said.