Since February, raging fires have spread across 13 districts and destroyed hectares of tiger reserves

Massive forest fires sweeping across the north Indian state of Uttarakhand have killed at least seven people in recent weeks, and were threatening two tiger reserves, officials said on Monday.

After state firefighters were unable for months to put the fires out, the Indian government sent air force helicopters over the weekend to drop water on the blazes covering nearly 23 square kilometers of pine forests.