DEHRADUN: An IAF helicopter was pressed into service on Saturday to extinguish the raging forest fires in Uttarakhand’s Nainital district, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said.

The situation in the district worsened on Friday with the flames reaching the High Court Colony in the Pines area.

An MI-17 helicopter collected water in a Bambi Bucket from Bhimtal lake and poured it over the burning forests of Pines, Bhumiadhar, Jyolikot, Narayan Nagar, Bhawali, Ramgarh and Mukteshwar areas of the district, officials said.

Reader correspondent