Nagaland: Dzükou wildfire enters seventh day; IAF ops to continue

The Southern Dzükou wildfire entered its seventh day on Saturday, with the blaze largely contained around the helipad area while active flames remain visible in and around Mount Tempfü, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kohima Henok Buchem said.
Addressing media at the Dzükou entry point, DC Buchem said the fire started on January 26, and a multi-agency team has been engaged since day one. Officers at the district level, including SDO (Civil) Jakhama, District Disaster Management Officer, Home Guards District Commandant, SDPO South, along with Southern Angami Youth Organisation (SAYO) leadership and volunteers, have been continuously battling the fire.
More than 150 personnel were deployed on Saturday, comprising police, SAYO volunteers, SDRF teams, drone operators, Dobashis, and other officials. Personnel from the Forest Department, Fire Department, and 13 Assam Rifles have also been actively involved.
While the fire around the helipad was almost contained, flames persist around Mount Tempfü. Due to difficult terrain, ground teams cannot reach certain fire spots behind the mountain to douse flames manually. IAF helicopter Bambi bucket operations will therefore continue on Sunday, with ground teams maintaining daily monitoring and assessment.
Two IAF helicopters have been deployed for the operation, and three Bambi bucket sorties were conducted on Saturday.
On damage assessment, DC said a scientific evaluation is yet to be conducted, but preliminary understanding suggests nearly one-third of the Dzükou area may have been affected. He expressed relief that the main Dzükou Valley remains untouched and free from immediate fire hazard.
Responding to questions on recurring incidents, DC said Dzükou has witnessed several such fires in the past, often due to visitor negligence. SAYO has implemented Dos and Don’ts and guidelines for tourists, including mandatory local guides. However, negligence by some visitors continues to cause incidents.
The government, in consultation with SAYO, is contemplating a formal notification on guidelines for maintenance and management of Dzükou Valley. DC appealed to tourists to act responsibly, follow guidelines, and engage local guides.
Meanwhile, SAYO president Zasitsolie Beio, addressing the media at Dzükou based camp, said the wildfire had initially started between Jakhama and Viswema entry routes before spreading towards Kehoke and later Mount Tempfü. He said that smoke was now visible from Mount Peratie side, but no fire or smoke had been observed beyond the locations mentioned.
Beio said no injuries or casualties had been reported during the seven days of the wildfire.
He said SAYO had been consistently working to create awareness among the 13 villages under its jurisdiction on preventing wildfires and forest burning.
Stating that stringent rules had been put in place, he warned that anyone found responsible for causing wildfires would be penalised based on the extent of damage caused. Beio said the minimum penalty imposed was Rs 5,000, which could increase depending on the severity of damage.
Highlighting the challenges of firefighting in Dzükou, Beio said the terrain, vegetation and landscape made operations extremely difficult.
Despite challenges, Beio lauded the SDRF personnel, stating that the specially trained teams had taken on the task of firefighting for the past six days and continued to assist in containing the blaze.
On tourism management, Beio expressed concern over trekkers visiting the valley without guides and failing to comply with SAYO regulations. He said such rules were framed for the safety of trekkers as well as for the protection of the valley.
He further cited recent cases of solo travellers going missing in the Dzükou region, which he said posed serious challenges for SAYO and rescue operations. He strongly advised all tourists to register themselves, engage local guides and strictly adhere to established rules to ensure safety for visitors, management authorities and the Dzükou Valley ecosystem.