Dzukou Range In Nagaland Is Burning For 10 Days Now & Authorities Are Struggling To Douse Fire

Indian Air Force helicopters, NDRF teams, forest, police and local volunteers are continuing their effort to douse the fire raging in the scenic Dzukou range in Nagaland's Kohima district for over a week now.

The Dzukou Valley, which is located 30 km from Kohima, is also a sanctuary for the endangered Blyth's tragopan - Nagaland's state bird - and other species of birds, animals and flowers.

N Biren Singh/ Twitter

The fire that broke out last Tuesday along the ranges in Nagaland has since spread to Manipur.

Made an aeriel survey of the latest forest fire situation at Dzukou valley today. Seeing the tremendous joint efforts by all concerned to tackle the situation, I am hopeful that the fire will soon be doused. pic.twitter.com/FkrP5O7nOq

¡ª Neiphiu Rio (@Neiphiu_Rio) January 5, 2021

IAF, NDRF and Nagaland government, however, are hopeful of controlling the inferno soon even though it had devastated a considerable part of the pristine area, comprising small hillocks and picturesque greenery.

Wildfire still raging on

The Nagaland government has requested the Union Home Ministry to send additional teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to join the ongoing fight to control wildfire in Dzukou Valley.

N Biren Singh/ Twitter

IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Ratnakar Singh told IANS that following a requisition by the Nagaland government, the Eastern Air Command in Shillong since had since Friday deployed four Mi-17V5 helicopters equipped with Bambi buckets to check the wildfire.

Battle to douse flames continues

Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority OSD Johnny Ruangmei told IANS that the Indian Army, IAF, paramilitary forces, state authorities, along with hundreds of volunteers and locals, continued their battle against the wildfire in the Dzukou Valley.

"The wildfire has been doused in most areas but gusty winds have taken the blaze to newer areas. We expect to tame the blaze fully in the next two days," said Ruangmei, who is supervising the operation round-the-clock.

N Biren Singh/ Twitter

"We are intensifying the operations as more than 130 personnel from police, forest, NDRF, SDRF and SAYO volunteers are now stationed in the base camp for Thursday's early morning operations," said Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Kohima, Rajkumar M.

They are camping near the fire site so that they can do operation early Thursday, he said, adding another 90 personnel will be joining them on Thursday and around 250 strong contingent are expected to intensify the operation.

Fire fighting equipment, ration, and camping materials were flown to Dzukou heliport by IAF choppers on Wednesday for the personnel camping in the base camp, he said.

An Assistant Sub-Inspector of the NDRF deployed to tackle the fire was found dead in his tent on Tuesday in northern Manipur's Senapati district bordering Nagaland.

Google Maps

Forest officials of Nagaland and Manipur said that they are yet to assess how much vegetation, flora and fauna have been destroyed due to the wildfire since December 29.

The destruction of God-given beauty and resources of the Dzukou valley is sad. I hope we will all strive to support the efforts of preserving and promoting the rich biodiversity of the valley and learn to live in harmony with nature. pic.twitter.com/d8GAT73fvC

¡ª Neiphiu Rio (@Neiphiu_Rio) January 5, 2021

According to the officials, the inferno has destroyed much of the forest, seasonal flowers, flora and fauna and harmed the rich biodiversity of the valley, which is also a famous trekking site.

According to Kohima district Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Ali Shihab, eight helicopters equipped with Bambi buckets, including four from the IAF and two from the Army, continued their operations to control the wildfire.