Fight to contain Dzükou fire rages on

Smoke rises during a forest fire that broke out in the Dzükou Valley of Kohima district on January 4. (PTI Photo)

Smoke rises during a forest fire that broke out in the Dzükou Valley of Kohima district on January 4. (PTI Photo)

Kohima, January 4 (MExN): As efforts to control the fire that broke out near Dzükou valley continue, Kohima district officials have expressed optimism that the situation will be fully under control within a day or two.

Presenting the IAF’s assessment on the situation during a review meeting on Monday, Kohima Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Ali Shihab A informed that the Air Force will be operating from sunrise to sunset on Tuesday, to contain the spread of fire.

According to updates from the state DIPR, the DC who is also the Chairperson of the District Disaster Management Authority, met with the Kohima Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar; ADC Kohima, Lithrongla Tongpi Rutsa, DFO Kohima, Raj Kumar and others.

The Chairperson said that the activities of fire line cutting was carried out in full swing while 4 IAF helicopters, 2 helicopters from Rangapahar Military Station and 2 from Dimapur Civil Airfield were on bambi bucket operations to contain the inferno. A total of 14 sorties with 28,000 litres of water were dropped on Monday, making a total of 56 sorties with 75,000 litres of water till date.

He further informed that the fire was well within control and may be able to achieve 100% by Tuesday, as per the IAF assessment.

According to the DIPR report, the DC also informed that Addl SP Kohima along with SDO Civil Jakama went to Khuzama to assess the spread of fire from Dzükou Valley. NDRF personnel along with police from Manipur were also reportedly seen at the site of the incident coordinating the situation, it stated.

A total of 78 personnel were engaged in the operation to contain the fire, which included 17 Kohima police personnel, 10 personnel from 4th NAP, 5 from Forest and 46 NDRF personnel (including those stationed at base camp), the report stated.

The operation teams, excluding the NDRF who are staying back at the base camp, have returned back to Kohima and will continue again on Tuesday. The teams  will depart from the Viswema-Dzükou entry point at 5:00 am, it said.

After the meeting, the DC briefed the entire Dzükou Fire status to Commissioner of Nagaland, Rovilatuo Mor, it added.