The fire that broke out in the forests of Uttarakhand’s Nainital district on Apr 26 reached dangerously close to residential buildings in the high court colony in Nainital today. Owing to the fire, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami asked the concerned officials to be alert.

Three people have also been arrested from Rudraprayag, accused of setting the fire that has now spread in a large area. In the last 24 hours, 31 cases of forest fires have been reported from different parts of the state.

The army’s MI 17 helicopters are collecting water from Bhimtal Lake and spraying it over the forests, reported the media.

According to reports, several areas including Baldiakhan, Jyolikot, Mongoli, Khurpatal, Devidhura, Bhawali, Pines, Bhimtal, and Mukteshwar in Nainital district were engulfed in flames.

“We have sent 40 soldiers from the Manora Range and two forest rangers to douse the fire, ” said Nainital divisional forest officer Chandrasekhar Joshi.