Three people were arrested on Friday after they were caught trying to set fire to forests in two different areas of Rudraprayag district. An officer gave this information.

Divisional Forest Office Abhimanyu said that sheep herder Naresh Bhatt was arrested from Tadiyal village of Jakholi when he was trying to set fire to the forest.

Bhatt confessed that he was setting fire to the forest so that fresh grass could grow for his sheep to graze.

A case has been registered against them under the Indian Forest Act, 1927.

The DFO said two others, Hemant Singh and Bhagwati Lal, were also arrested from Dangwal village under similar circumstances.

These days there are forest fires in different parts of Uttarakhand.

A forest official said 54 fire incidents were recorded in the state on Thursday, destroying about 7 hectares of forest land, most of which are located in the Kumaon region.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami asked officials in Dehradun to remain alert about forest fire.

Dham said that other departments should also remain on alert mode to prevent forest fires.

Dhami also called for cooperation from the people to control the fire.