Forest fires have erupted near a village in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. Locals from Kalga village, near Tosh, say that the fire has been raging on a mountain in the valley for over a week.
"There were some drizzles earlier this week in the lower part of the valley and snowfall over the higher reaches but the fire is still on," a local told Indiatimes.
They added that a small village on that mountain is most likely to have been evacuated by now as the wildfire is spreading across the dry mountain.?
The forest fires are raging on a mountain which falls on the route to the popular Kheerganga trek in the Parvati Valley.
The AQI in the otherwise pristine area is now hovering between "Unhealthy" and "Poor" category with a thick layer of smoke covering the valley, creating problems for avid trekkers.
AQI recorded this morning in Kalga was 105, falling in "unhealthy" category.
Many trekkers complained of poor air quality in the valley. "I had started this morning to go for the Kheerganga trek with two more people but the smoke in the air almost choked me. I decided to come back. Maybe I'll try again once the fire is doused," said one Nikhil, who has been staying in Kalga since February.
This is the final duration of the trekking season in the Parvati Valley. Locals say it could rain any day and snowfall is expected in a couple of weeks.