IAF deputes copters to put off forest fires in Nagaland

The Indian Air Force (IAF) today deployed its helicopters to help douse a major fire that broke out last week and destroyed vast stretches of a forest in Nagaland, an official said here.
The fire broke out around Nagaland's second highest peak Mount Japfu in southern Angami region of Kohima district on Thursday last and spread to other parts of the area threatening the flora and fauna of these forests.
"Our helicopters have done five sorties today carrying 2.5 tonnes of water in each of the sorties," Indian Air Force spokespersons Group Captain Amit Mahajan said.
He said that preliminary recce of the area done by the helicopter revealed that there were two pockets of one square kilometre each which are vulnerable to the raging fire.

The fire, so far, has destroyed a large number of precious flora and fauna and bamboo trees in the mountain peak whose smoke was visible from Kohima.
A team of members from the Army and Paramilitary jawans, NGOs, eco-clubs and nearby villagers reached to some height of the peak on Friday and to control the fire from further spreading.
The Forest department has alerted all the villages below the Mount Japfu peak and sought their help in extinguishing the fire.
The Forest department made an aerial survey on Saturday last and were taking all necessary steps to stop the fire, a department official said.