On Tuesday, the Supreme Court directed authorities to implement all necessary measures before the next season to prevent forest fires in Uttarakhand, which are predominantly caused by human activity.

A bench comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan was hearing a case concerning forest fires in Uttarakhand.

On May 17, the apex court emphasized the importance of protecting valuable forests from the dangers of forest fires. It noted that the ongoing litigation regarding forest fires in Uttarakhand was not "adversarial" in nature.

"As of now, there is nothing immediate but before the next season, you must put everything in place," the bench said, adding that rains have started in the hill state.

"A very good picture was projected to us (during the earlier hearing) and within a week, we read in the newspapers that four forest guards died in forest fires," the court said.

One of the counsels in the case referenced the Supreme Court's May 17 order, which highlighted Solicitor General Tushar Mehta's commitment to collaborate with the state's chief secretary, the amicus curiae, the representative of the Central Empowered Committee, and senior advocate Rajiv Dutta—who has filed an application concerning the forest fire issue—to develop a solution.

The lawyer reported that meetings have already occurred, with additional sessions scheduled for August. Observing that most forest fires are man-made, the bench scheduled the next hearing for September.

During the May 17 hearing, the Solicitor General, representing the Uttarakhand government, updated the court on various aspects, including the allocation of funds for fire prevention and control, filling vacancies in the forest department, and providing essential firefighting equipment. The bench noted the Solicitor General's assurance that the state is taking the issue seriously, with the chief secretary and other senior officials committed to finding a permanent solution to prevent and manage forest fires.

"We appreciate the stand taken by the state," the court had said.