Dzukou Valley wildfire ‘almost under control’, efforts to continue

Kohima/Imphal, Jan 9 : The 12-day long wildfire in the famous Dzukou Valley on Nagaland-Manipur borders is “almost controlled” as no fresh fire or smoke was visible on Saturday, officials said.
Kohima District Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Ali Shihad A said that the fire fighters, including the Indian Air Force and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), would continue their operation on Sunday.
“Both the operation and inspection, in the ground and in the air, would continue on Sunday. The state government has decided to continue with the recce cum Bambi bucket operation by IAF on Sunday to assess the situation and carry out the operation accordingly,” the Deputy Commissioner, who is supervising the operation, told IANS over phone from Kohima.
Quoting the forest and disaster management officials, he said that during the inspection from the IAF choppers, it was observed that no fresh fire or fresh smoke was visible while a very low intensity smoke was seen which was doused by Bambi bucket operation.
“Superintendent of police of Kohima district Manoj Kumar informed that the ground operation team reported that smoke from across the mountain started appearing on Saturday morning. The smoke was doused by one sortie of Bambi bucket operation. No active smoke or fire was reported by the ground team from the watchtower till the time of reporting,” the DC said.
Defence spokesman Lt. Col P. Khongsai said that in the ongoing effort to douse the wildfire in the popular tourist destination on Nagaland-Manipur border, Spear Corps (of Army) and Assam Rifles is working hand in hand with various central and state governments organisations, tackling the problem in a synchronised manner.