Dehradun Forest Fire

As we set out for an aerial survey of the Uttarakhand forest fires, within 15 kilometres of the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, barely a few minutes flying time, our single engine helicopter flew right into a white patch. This wasn't a cloud. It was smoke. We were now flying blind, aided only by the helicopter's Global Positioning System.

Indian Air Force's MI-17 helicopters that were being used to douse raging forest fires in Uttarakhands Bhimtal and Pauri have had to return to base due to thick smoke and near zero visibility. The raging fires destroyed nearly 3,000 acres of forest cover and claimed seven lives.

A woman and her six-year-old son were charred to death and around 50 slums were gutted in a forest fire in Nainital district, police said today.

As we set out for an aerial survey of the Uttarakhand forest fires, within 15 kilometres of the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, barely a few minutes flying time, our single engine helicopter flew right into a white patch. This wasn't a cloud. It was smoke. We were now flying blind, aided only by the helicopter's Global Positioning System.

Indian Air Force's MI-17 helicopters that were being used to douse raging forest fires in Uttarakhands Bhimtal and Pauri have had to return to base due to thick smoke and near zero visibility. The raging fires destroyed nearly 3,000 acres of forest cover and claimed seven lives.

A woman and her six-year-old son were charred to death and around 50 slums were gutted in a forest fire in Nainital district, police said today.