Kasauli:
Searing heat, dried pine leaves, strong winds and a spark that turned into a massive blaze engulfing an entire forest.
A massive fire in the forest near the Air Force Station in Himachal Pradesh’s tourist town Kasauli triggered a major firefighting operation, with the Indian Air Force deploying Mi-17 and Chinook helicopters to battle the blaze.
The fire that started on Tuesday afternoon turned severe by the evening. As the flames came dangerously close to the Kasauli Air Force Station, the administration sought help from the Army. Indian Air Force helicopters were deployed in the firefighting operations.
The Army helicopters carried water from Chandigarh’s Sukhna Lake and splashed it over the affected area.
After an aerial operation that lasted about 7-8 hours, the fire was brought under control. According to information, the fire suddenly broke out in the dry pine needles reportedly due to excessive heat near the Jangeshu area on Tuesday afternoon.
Strong winds led the fire to spread across several kilometers within minutes.
The Kasauli Cantonment Board fire brigade and the Air Force Station’s fire unit were rushed to the spot. With the situation worsening, fire department vehicles were also called in from Kuthar and Parwanoo.
Firefighters, forest department personnel, and Army soldiers worked through the night to extinguish the blaze.
The administration has confirmed that the fire near the Air Force Station is now completely out and the situation is under control. The forest department is assessing the damage, but fire is still active in the forests near Kasauli’s Mall Road, VIP area, Jangeshu-Manon Road, and near Kasauli Upper Mall.
At the same time, fire has been raging in the dense forests of Shamlech, Anji, Kandaghat, and Basal in Solan. Forest department teams are continuously working there as well to bring the fire under control.
(With Inputs From Yogesh Sharma)
