Low level of moisture and heat have led to forest fires in Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand, Union Environment and Forest minister Prakash Javadekar said on Tuesday.

Referring to recent instances of forest fires, he said in the Lok Sabha that "these (fires) are not new but this time due to the heat, the moisture level has reduced, which at times leads to situation like ones in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh."

Fire incidents have been ravaging the forests of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh over the past few days.

Meanwhile, Indian Meteorological Department's Director General Laxman Singh Rathore said rains over the hill states during the next two days will give some respite from forest fire.

A Western Disturbance phenomenon is already active, which will bring in the showers.

Firefighting operations continued on a war-footing in Uttarakhand with three IAF choppers sprinkling water on flaming forests as over 11,000 personnel fought infernos from the ground leading to further decline in the number of active fires.

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