Haldwani/Dehradun, May 23 -- A man was arrested in Rudraprayag for allegedly setting forest fires in the district's Jarkiholi range, said district officials on Friday. Divisional forest officer Rajat Suman said the accused was identified as Trilok Singh Jagwan. He was caught allegedly setting a section of forest land aflame on drone surveillance on May 20 and detained a day later. He was arrested after he confessed to setting fires in the area, added Suman. He was charged under Sections 26(b) and 26(c) of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, as amended in 2001. He added that the department's primary objective was to prevent forest fires with active participation from local residents and increase public awareness regarding the issue. "The department is prioritising public cooperation and awareness regarding forest fire prevention. However, strict legal action will be taken against anyone found deliberately setting forests on fire," said the DFO. He added that the forest department had organised a "Forest Fire Safety Week" from May 5 to May 11, during which awareness campaigns were conducted in rural areas to educate people about preventive measures and control mechanisms related to forest fires. In Almora, district magistrate Anshul Singh said that, since the beginning of the season, five cases were registered regarding instances of fires allegedly started by people. Officials said that after a lull in rainfall, forest areas in Almora witnessed a sharp rise in fire incidents over the past few days. The fires not only caused damage to forest wealth but also spread close to populated areas, requiring joint firefighting operations by the police, fire brigade, forest department and district administration. "It was revealed during preliminary investigation that these fires are not natural occurrences but man-made incidents. Despite repeated appeals, some unruly elements continue such destructive activities for their personal interests," Singh alleged. Officials said cases were registered in police station areas including Salt, Ranikhet, Chaukhutiya, Dwarahat and Bhatronjkhan to curb incidents of deliberate forest fires. The administration and the forest department warned that strict action would be taken against anyone found intentionally or negligently setting forests on fire. Authorities said surveillance has been intensified and special monitoring is being carried out to track suspicious activities in forest areas....