Forest fires sweep across north India

LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Massive forest fires sweeping across the north Indian state of Uttarakhand have killed at least seven people in recent weeks, and were threatening two tiger reserves, officials said Monday.

After state firefighters were unable for months to put the fires out, the Indian government sent Air Force helicopters over the weekend to drop water on the blazes covering nearly 23 square kilometers (8 square miles) of pine forests.

There were dozens of fires burning on Monday, spreading unpredictably and threatening two major tiger reserves — Corbett National Park and Rajaji National Park — according to state forest officer Bhanu Prasad Gupta.

Officials said the fires had been exacerbated by the year's dry weather, after two consecutive years of poor monsoon rains.

Since February, the blazes have spread to 13 districts destroying vast swaths of forest land across Uttarakhand, Gupta said.

Dense smoke was hampering efforts to put out the flames, he said.

"We are struggling to bring the situation under control," he said.

Authorities have detained four men for questioning on suspicions they started some fires in a bid to clear land for real estate development, according to Indian Environment Minister Prakash Javdekar.

He said the government would not allow the use of forest land for any other purpose.

"Not a single inch of forest land will be allowed to be encroached or diverted by anybody," Javdekar said Monday.

Wildlife conservation officials said the fire had caused severe damage to the eco-system of the forests. More than 530 hectares (1,310 acres) of the Rajaji and Corbett tiger reserve had been destroyed by the fire, adversely affecting animals and birds in the area.

"This is the breeding season of many avian species. The fire has destroyed their eggs," said Ramesh Unnwal, a wildlife official.

Officials in the state say they were not sure what had sparked the fires. The state has been facing a severe dry spell over the past few months.

Two years of weak monsoon rains had left very little moisture in the atmosphere, "so a small fire can spread very fast," Unnwal said.

Experts expect the number of wildfires, as well as the intensity of those fires, to increase as climate change brings warmer temperatures that dry up forest areas and exacerbate the drought.

India is also struggling with the aftermath of the El Nino climate cycle, which has exacerbated drought conditions and could still weaken this year's monsoon, expected to begin in June.

The fires are likely worsening the already-high air pollution levels over northern India.