Forest fires rage in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, forcing a massive firefighting effort by both air and ground teams in the fragile Himalayas. The flames started around February 13 and have swept across some of the most remote, mountainous parts of the region. The Indian Air Force jumped in quickly, even as rough terrain and bad weather made things much harder. This year, Arunachal Pradesh is seeing a huge spike in fire incidents, almost 200 times more than this time last year.

Aerial Firefighting in High-Altitude Terrain

Fighting fires from the air in these high mountains isn’t easy. The Indian Air Force has flown repeated missions at more than 9,500 feet, and in the Lohit valley, helicopters dropped over 12,000 litres of water to try to stop flames racing along tight mountain ridges.

At Walong in Arunachal Pradesh, the IAF flew multiple sorties and dumped a staggering 139,800 litres of water, finally putting out a major fire. Pilots had to deal with thin air, steep slopes, and almost no visibility, just some of the hurdles that come with firefighting high up in the Himalayas.

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Simultaneous Operations in Nagaland

Meanwhile, while fighting forest fires in Arunachal Pradesh, the IAF simultaneously began operations in Nagaland, especially in the ecologically fragile Dzukou Valley region. Mi-17 V5 choppers began extracting water from Padumpokhiri Lake in Dimapur to douse flames engulfing areas around Japfu Peak.

However, the rugged terrain and changing wind patterns made it difficult for the choppers, which had to fly over mountain ranges and areas with low visibility. A forest department official in Nagaland confirmed that the district administration had asked the IAF for more help to enhance fire control operations.

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Environmental Concerns and Ongoing Vigilance

The fires pose an imminent threat to the delicate Himalayan ecosystem, which is sustained by the rich biodiversity and the local communities that rely on forest resources. Authorities have stated that the goals of their precision operations include both extinguishing the flames and minimising potential future environmental impacts from the fires.

While containment efforts remain ongoing, authorities will remain on high alert for potential flare-ups, and this situation illustrates the growing susceptibility of forests in the northeastern states to climate variability and human activity. Forest fires in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland have drawn national attention but will require continued coordination among ground, air, and local authorities to fully extinguish the fires and preserve the delicate environment of the northeastern states.

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