Dehradun: A forest fire that broke out near the Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district six days ago remains confined to the surface, according to senior forest officials, while meteorologists have attributed the surge in such incidents to unusually dry winter conditions and scant snowfall.

The fire, which began on January 9 in the Painkhanda forests under the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Valley of Flowers in the Nanda Devi National Park, erupted at an altitude of around 11,500 feet. An aerial survey conducted on Wednesday indicated that the fire had not reached the canopy, remaining largely surface-level.

“Prima facie, the fire is not very extensive or serious. It is limited to the surface and hasn’t reached the crown,” said Chief Conservator of Forests Sushant Patnaik. Due to the steep, rocky terrain, forest staff have been unable to access the fire directly. Patnaik added that further action, including possible assistance from the Centre, would be decided after reviewing the survey report.

Meteorological Perspective

C S Tomar, director of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Dehradun, explained that weak western disturbances—normally responsible for winter rain and snowfall—have contributed to the unusually dry conditions. “These systems carried limited moisture and largely followed a northward track. As a result, higher latitude regions such as Jammu and Kashmir received some snowfall and rain, while Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand experienced relatively weak weather activity,” he said.

So far in January, Uttarakhand has recorded no rainfall, against a normal of 1.3 mm, and high-altitude peaks remain largely snowless. However, Tomar suggested that improved rainfall and snowfall conditions could bring relief later in the month.

Response and Assessment

Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal has asked senior officials to investigate the fire’s causes. Chamoli district authorities reported the initial smoke sighting on January 9 at 10:10 am, near the Alaknanda River opposite Govindghat, detected by personnel at the Auli wireless station.

Two teams were dispatched—one directly from Govindghat across the river, and another from Pulna village, using drones to assess the fire’s extent. According to the district magistrate, steep rocks, dry grass, heavy frost, and slippery surfaces made ground access extremely difficult. The report also highlighted the potential for the fire to spread due to dry weather, strong winds, and inaccessibility, posing a threat to forest resources and wildlife.

In light of the challenging terrain, authorities have requested support from the Indian Air Force (IAF) for aerial water sprinkling if needed. Patnaik reassured that the forest department is fully prepared to handle forest fires despite uncontrollable weather conditions.

Forest Fire Trends in Uttarakhand

Typically, forest fires in Uttarakhand occur between February and June, peaking in May and June. The state has a forest cover of 24,303.83 sq km, representing 45.44% of its geographical area. Human settlements near forested regions increase fire risk. Forests are categorised by fire susceptibility: 0.10% extremely fire-prone, 12.92% very highly fire-prone, 27.64% highly fire-prone, 20.01% moderately fire-prone, and 39.33% less fire-prone.

Since November 1, 38 forest fire incidents have been reported in Uttarakhand—34 in reserved forests and the rest in van panchayat forests—affecting 18.24 hectares, with no reported casualties. December 2025 saw 1,153 forest fire alerts, a significant increase over previous years (386 in 2024, 773 in 2023, 626 in 2022).

The India State of Forest Report 2023 highlighted that Uttarakhand recorded 21,033 forest fires between November 2023 and June 2024, the highest among all states—a nearly four-fold increase compared with the previous year.

Experts attribute the rise in incidents to a combination of dry winters, inadequate snowfall, climate variability, and human activity, underlining the need for enhanced monitoring and preparedness in the state’s fragile high-altitude ecosystems.