KASAULI: A massive wildfire raging through the forests of Kasauli in the Shivalik foothills was finally brought under control today after an intense joint firefighting operation by the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.
The devastating blaze, which erupted yesterday afternoon amid scorching heatwave conditions and dry winds, had spread rapidly across vast stretches of pine forests and thick shrubs overlooking the “City Beautiful” Chandigarh, triggering panic in nearby villages and tourist hotspots.
After battling the inferno for over 15 hours in difficult mountainous terrain, Army jawans and IAF teams managed to halt the advancing flames before they could engulf human settlements and tourism infrastructure that has mushroomed across the Kasauli hills in recent years.
In a dramatic aerial operation, IAF helicopters repeatedly lifted water from Sukhna Lake and carried out continuous water-dropping sorties over the burning hillsides, helping contain the wildfire that had threatened large forest areas and adjoining habitations.
Officials said no loss of human life has been reported so far. Preliminary reports indicate that the fire was fuelled by extreme heatwave conditions, dry vegetation and strong winds prevailing across the Shivalik range.
Meanwhile, Pahari Samaj Paryavarni Kawach Welfare Foundation (PSPK had earlier highlighted how recurring forest fires across Himachal Pradesh are inflicting massive ecological losses on fragile Himalayan forests, wildlife habitats and water sources.
The organisations had warned that prolonged heatwave conditions and drying vegetation were turning large parts of the Shivalik and mid-hill forests into tinderboxes.
Though the flames have now been contained, forest officials fear extensive ecological damage to fragile hill forests dominated by chir pines and dry undergrowth. Authorities are continuing cooling operations to prevent fresh flare-ups in the area.
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