Hi guys, a lot of chitter chatter about the Uttarakhand fires being fake news is circulating on the internet. We checked with the sources and here’s what we found out. Yes, Uttarakhand is experiencing bush fires but no, it’s not as bad as its being portrayed & most of the pictures on the internet are from 2019, where the fires were quite terrible.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Jai Raj said, “Some misleading information is being spread on social media. Our website regularly updates information on a forest fire. Photos on social media are showing entire trees on fire. Such forest fires take place in Canada, US and Australia.”
He further added, “Such fires do not occur in Uttarakhand. Here the forest fires remain confined to the ground, affecting grass and bushes. In monsoon, everything goes back to normal. So far, the fire has affected 111 hectares, causing loss of Rs 3 lakhs.”
These were some of the fake news that were being spread:
Saddest news of today "Devbhoomi in Fire".
Forest fire ?breaks out in #Uttarakhand
All the worst things are taking place in 2020…???#UttarakhandForestFire#uttarakhandfire pic.twitter.com/OHLl0eVvsA
— CYBER WARRIOR?….⚔️ (@sandeep_che) May 26, 2020
#Uttarakhand is burning, Many species r in danger nd wildlife diversity r affected..
We hope that this fire is extinguished as soon as possible.. Please God save the nature from this terrible and dangerous fire?..
Really this year is getting worse?..#UttarakhandForestFire pic.twitter.com/YibbO2Wy0H
— Anand shukla (@Ananshukla90) May 26, 2020
Every Indian had shocked of the first picture of Koala ? of #AustraliaBushfire but we don’t have even sympathy for large population of the endangered “Tahrs deer ?” has been roasted alive in raging forest fires in Uttarakhand?
Old images but real images. #UttarakhandForestFire pic.twitter.com/o1ZZCMejl0
— Licypriya Kangujam (@LicypriyaK) May 26, 2020
Last year (2019), Uttarakhand witnessed a massive wildfire which affected over 900 hectares of forest. In 2020 too, the wildfires did take place and burned for 5 days, but forest fires in summers is quite common in Uttarakhand and nothing out of the ordinary. Take a look at this video:
We pray for those affected and hope that Uttarakhand is able to deal with the forest fires as soon as possible.