News CLAIM: Several messages were floating on Social media over the spread of fire in Uttarakhand, however many were worried as the fake propaganda was more than the actual fire in the forest.

So many images have been floating in Social media that it is really tough to say if the fire is real or fake.

@ANI pls verify this news.@PIBFactCheck @timesfactcheck @AltNews pic.twitter.com/fy0YHbhx3e

— Shashank Shekhar Jha (@shashank_ssj) May 27, 2020

Uttarakhand: Forest fire broke out in Srinagar of Pauri Garhwal district today. Forest officer Anita Kunwar says, "5-6 hectares of forest have been affected. The fire could not be controlled due to wind. More teams will be called to extinguish it."

Uttarakhand: Forest fire broke out in Srinagar of Pauri Garhwal district today. Forest officer Anita Kunwar says, "5-6 hectares of forest have been affected. Fire could not be controlled due to wind. More teams will be called to extinguish it." pic.twitter.com/iJveQaHNK6

— ANI (@ANI) May 23, 2020

The #Economy is already badly affected due to #COVID19 and due to the nationwide #Lockdown ecological #tourism has taken a pause which is badly affecting the economy and now the #ForestFires have caused a huge loss to the state. | Via @thepolicytimes#PrayForUttarakhand pic.twitter.com/TYwbQ3L5gk

— Gurnoor Kaur Behl (@GurnoorKBehl) May 27, 2020

#Uttarakhand is burning from 4 days, it has been reported Uttarakhand has lost nearly 51.43 hectares of forest cover,46 Wildfires & Over Half The Wildlife Species is In Danger & the worst part no media channel is showing this!

#Uttarakhand is burning from 4 days, it has been reported Uttarakhand has lost nearly 51.43 hectares of forest cover ,46 Wildfires & Over Half The Wildlife Species are In Danger & the worst part no media channel is showing this! #PrayForUttarakhand @News18Punjab @BBCHindi pic.twitter.com/kLtcJ06xP4

— KaurDamanjeet (@djkaur101) May 27, 2020

TRUTH & Verification: A fire has broke out in the jungles of Uttarakhand: Forest in Srinagar of Pauri Garhwal district. However different visuals, memes, and mostly old images were tweeted on social media mostly not from the actual fire incident.

Recently, there has been a huge public outcry over the Uttarakhand forest fire on various social media platforms. Dr. Parag Madhukar Dhakate (IFS), chief conservator of forests, Uttarakhand Forest Department said, Online that the news circulating on social media about Uttarakhand forest fire is incorrect. He said misleading information and old images are being shared on various social media platforms.

Dr. Parag Madhukar, Conservator, Forest Dept says there are no massive forest fires in Uttarakhand, many old and wrong visuals are being shared on social media. Please be careful. FYI it rained in some parts of the state today. As per Madhukar,

Dr Parag Madhukar, Conservator, Forest Dept says there are no massive forest fires in Uttarakhand, many old and wrong visuals are being shared on social media. Please be careful.
FYI it rained in some parts of the state today #PrayForUttarakhand pic.twitter.com/Pk7yVTKCB2

— Gargi Rawat (@GargiRawat) May 27, 2020

Randeep Hooda had earlier urged netizens to refrain from spreading panic and said, “Forest fires are a natural phenomenon that rejuvenates the forest & they happen every year..as per my research, this year #forestfires have been relatively low in #Uttarakhand so far..pls don’t compare them to Australia & the Amazon & spread panic 🙏🏽#PrayForUttarakhand #FakeNews”

Exaggeration of #forestfires is quite common. Pics are mostly borrowed from internet, as it shows crown-fire, that is quite unusual in Uttarakhand. The #FSI sends firepoints to the Dept via SMS & immediate action is taken by crew stations on ground. Reality check. 👇 pic.twitter.com/V8mtVNUBCf

— Dheeraj Pandey, IFS (@DrDheerajPandey) May 26, 2020

The below picture viral as recent was actually uploaded by a Facebook user Anup Sah on 28 April 2016.

The official handle of the Uttarakhand Forest Department also took to Twitter to state that images in circulation are “fake.” It said Fake news of forest fire 2020 in Uttarakhand is being circulated on social media. After verification of such images, it has been found that these images are fake. Few such images are being uploaded by us. It is our request to kindly do not spread fake news.

Fake news of forest fire 2020 in Uttarakhand are being circulated on social media. After verification of such images it has been found that these images are fake. Few such images are being uploaded by us. It is our request to kindly do not spread fake news. pic.twitter.com/B9GBK8DgaL

— Uttarakhand Forest Department @Official (@Uttkhand_Forest) May 27, 2020

Uttarakhand CM says, Forest fires way less, fake news being spread on social media, He twitted, “A misleading propaganda, using old pics of forest fires of 2016 & 2019 & that of forest fires in Chilean & Chinese forests, is raging on SM. I req everyone to not believe such a motivated campaign. Fire incidents reported until yesterday is way less than PY”

A misleading propaganda, using old pics of forest fires of 2016 & 2019 & that of forest fires in Chilean & Chinese forests, is raging on SM. I req everyone to not believe such motivated campaign. Fire incidents reported until yesterday is way less than PYhttps://t.co/d5R4aq5mjW

— Trivendra Singh Rawat (@tsrawatbjp) May 27, 2020

In a statement on Facebook Wednesday, the Uttarakhand Forest Department pointed out that many of the photos were from older incidents or other countries.

VERDICT:  Fire is there in the forests of Uttarakhand; however it is not as massive as stated by many