The fire broke out beside the highway, its intensity so severe that within minutes, a 2-km stretch started burning.
More than three months after it started, the forest fire continues to burn in Uttarakhand. But while the authorities claimed 90% of fire has been doused, the NDTV team encountered an active fire that started up approximately 30 km from Bhimtal.
The fire broke out beside the highway, its intensity so severe that within minutes, a 2-km stretch started burning. It spread over dry leaves on the ground. Stones and burning logs fell continuously on the narrow highway, injured a man riding pillion on a bike. He had to be rushed to the hospital.
About an hour later, when the forest department reached the spot, the NDTV team climbed up the hill with the fire fighters.
Watching them in action was a shock -- 5 men and 4 women in plainclothes, without boots, masks or gloves, beating down the fire with a handful of green branches.
As the intensity of fire increased, they waited. And finally when the fire became an inferno, they left to save themselves.
"We know it is risky, but we also need to provide for our families," said one of the officers.
"We have been fire fighting for over 30 years, but never before have we seen scenes like this. Everything is destroyed," said another.