A major forest fire has erupted near the Sigar military station in East Siang district, raising concerns as the blaze continues to spread towards nearby defence installations, officials said on Sunday.
Although no casualties have been reported so far, the rapidly spreading fire has posed a potential threat to vital infrastructure in the area.
According to officials, the fire broke out on Saturday in a forested area adjacent to the Sigar military station. In response, personnel from the district administration and the Indian Army were immediately deployed to control the blaze.
However, firefighting operations have been hampered by the region’s rugged terrain and dense vegetation, making it difficult for ground teams to contain the flames.
Given the challenging landscape, the state government sought assistance from the Indian Air Force to help tackle the situation through aerial firefighting operations.
An IAF helicopter was deployed on Sunday and began dousing the flames from the air by lifting water from the Siang River.
Officials said the aerial firefighting operation was temporarily suspended on Sunday evening due to operational reasons. The operation is expected to resume on Monday morning.
Meanwhile, ground-based firefighting efforts by local authorities and security personnel are continuing in the affected area to prevent the fire from spreading further.
