KOHIMA, The wildfires that have been raging in the Jukou Valley in southern Kohima district of Nagaland entered their eighth day on Monday, with authorities saying the blaze is largely under control.
Wildfires are largely contained in Nagaland’s southern Dijuko Valley: OfficialsKohima Deputy Commissioner B Henok Buchem said the fire, which broke out on January 26, is now mostly confined to the area below and around Mount Temphu.
The administration claims that the main valley remains clear and free from immediate fire hazard.
“New pockets of fire have been reported near Mount Temphu and Mount Merata, while the fire near the helipad area has been fully contained. A multi-agency firefighting operation has been underway since day one, involving over 150 personnel,” said the DC.
Due to the muddy terrain and the inaccessibility of certain fire pits, especially behind Mount Temphu, manual firefighting has been limited in some areas, the official said.
“Two IAF helicopters have been deployed, three Bambi bucket flights each on Saturday and Sunday,” he said, adding that additional flights were planned for Monday.
A bambi bucket is a special, lightweight, collapsible, and wire-suspended container used for aerial firefighting by helicopters.
Although a scientific damage assessment has yet to be done, preliminary estimates suggest that about one-third of the Dzükou area may be affected, another district official said, adding that “the main Dzükou valley is not affected”.
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Authorities noted that most of the damage was limited to dwarf bamboo plants, which are expected to regenerate naturally in a few months.
Several teams including representatives of the district administration, state disaster response force, police, forest department, fire and emergency services, South Angami Youth Organization, home guards, drone operators and personnel of 13 Assam Rifles were engaged in the operation.
Southern Angami Youth Organization president Jaseitsoli Beyo said the fire initially started between the Jakhama and Visbema access routes and spread to Kehoke and Mount Temphu.
Highlighting the challenges on the ground, Bayo said dense vegetation, bamboo growth and difficult terrain made firefighting operations extremely difficult.
He appreciated the SDRF personnel for their sustained manual firefighting efforts despite the risks.
Both the district administration and SAYO have reiterated concern over recurring fires in Dzükou, attributing such incidents to the carelessness of visitors.
The government, in consultation with SAYO, is considering issuing a notification to institutionalize guidelines for the management and maintenance of the Dzükou Valley, officials said.
They appealed to trekkers and tourists to behave responsibly, strictly adhere to the guidelines and employ authorized guides to ensure safety and protect the fragile Dzükou ecosystem.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without text modification
