Kohima, Jan 28: A wildfire in the southern stretch of Dzukou Valley in Nagaland’s Kohima district forced the evacuation of over 30 trekkers and prompted authorities to suspend all trekking activities in the area.
Officials said the trekkers, who had been stranded after the blaze broke out, were safely evacuated from the high-altitude valley. Joint containment operations were launched by the district administration and the Southern Angami Youth Organisation (SAYO) to prevent the fire from spreading further. The Kohima District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) said the fire was believed to have started on Monday, although authorities were alerted only on Tuesday. The cause and exact point of origin of the wildfire are yet to be ascertained.
Deputy Commissioner B Henok Buchem constituted a team for reconnaissance and rescue operations, stating that all available resources would be mobilised to contain the blaze. He added that additional personnel would be deployed if the situation demanded.
A DDMA official said an emergency meeting was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon to review the situation and determine further measures.
SAYO president Zasitsolie Beio said the organisation was informed on Monday afternoon after volunteers shared videos and photographs from the affected area. He said immediate priority was given to the safe evacuation of trekkers and the enforcement of precautionary steps.
As a safety measure, trekking has been temporarily suspended from both the Jakhama and Viswema entry points to Dzukou Valley.
The incident occurred less than a month after a major wildfire in the Khonoma–Dzukou Valley region in December, which had required an extensive multi-agency firefighting operation.
