New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out round-the-clock aerial firefighting operations to contain a major forest fire in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, deploying Mi-17 V5 helicopters under the aid-to-civil-authorities framework.
The fire, which spread across nearly 10 hectares in Solan district, threatened residential areas, critical infrastructure and military establishments. After receiving information on May 26, the IAF first deployed a Cheetah helicopter for assessment before launching sustained firefighting missions.
Working with the state administration, forest department, Indian Army and local authorities, IAF helicopters dropped over 93,000 litres of water sourced from Sukhna Lake, Chandigarh, using Bambi Bucket operations.
First, the IAF also conducted night-time Bambi Bucket missions using Night Vision Goggles (NVGs) in challenging mountainous terrain, helping prevent the blaze from escalating into a major disaster. Ground crews supported continuous operations by ensuring rapid aircraft servicing and turnaround.