Defence Ministry report records IAF helicopters dispensing 67,000 litres of water during a forest-fire response linked to Nagaland
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KOHIMA — Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters dispensed 67,000 litres of water in firefighting operations linked to Nagaland, according to the Ministry of Defence’s annual report for 2025-26.
The figure is contained in the report’s account of the IAF’s humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations during the year. It records an aerial firefighting operation from January 29 to February 5, 2026, stating that IAF helicopters dispensed 67,000 litres of water to douse a forest fire in Nagaland.
The report lists the operation under the heading “Fire-Fighting Operations in Manipur”, while specifically identifying Nagaland as the location where the water was deployed.
The IAF also recorded a separate forest-fire response in Nagaland, stating that its helicopters undertook Bambi bucket operations in Dzükou Valley from December 14 to 16, 2025.
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The state witnessed a prolonged wildfire in Dzükou Valley earlier this year after a fire broke out on January 26. The blaze continued for about 25 days, prompting the state government to requisition IAF helicopters equipped with Bambi buckets to assist firefighting efforts.
More than half of Dzükou Valley was affected by the wildfire, according to official records.
The latest Defence Ministry report provides a fresh account of the scale of aerial resources deployed in the state’s forest-fire response, although the report’s reference to the January 29-February 5 operation appears under its Manipur heading.
The state government had earlier said that forest fires reported in Dzükou Valley since 2023 were reportedly caused mainly by “human errors or carelessness”.
The recurring fires have also raised concerns over the protection of the valley’s fragile landscape and the need for greater precautions during periods of dry weather.
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