MI-17 Helicopters Douse Raging Uttarakhand Forest Fires

Two MI-17 helicopters were used to douse the flames which have claimed six lives so far.

MI-17 helicopters spray water on Uttarakhand forest fires by lifting water from Bhimtal river using buckets. (Photo: ANI screengrab)

With major fires blighting around 1,900 hectares of forests in Uttarakhand, the government decided on Saturday to press two MI-17 helicopters into service as NDRF, SDRF and army personnel struggled to douse the flames which have claimed six lives so far.

A total of 1,890.79 hectare of green cover has been destroyed this fire season which began early in the year on 2 February due to a dry winter. Chamoli, Pauri, Rudraprayag, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Almora, Pithoragarh and Nainital are the worst-affected districts.

While three NDRF teams and one SDRF company are busy dousing the flames in different parts of the state, two IAF choppers have been sent to Nainital and Pauri districts to spray water over the burning jungles, Raj Bhawan officials said.

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