Kohima, Feb 2: The wildfire burning in the southern reaches of the Dzükou valley in Nagaland’s Kohima district entered its eighth day on February 2, with district authorities stating that the situation is largely under control and the core valley remains safe.
Kohima Deputy Commissioner B Henok Buchem said the fire, which began on January 26, has now been mostly restricted to areas below and around Mount Tempfü. He clarified that the main Dzükou valley has not been affected and is currently free from any immediate threat. According to the administration, sporadic flare-ups have been observed near Mount Tempfü and Mount Merata, while the fire near the helipad zone has been completely extinguished.
A large-scale firefighting operation has been underway since the outbreak, involving more than 150 personnel from multiple agencies. Buchem noted that the extremely rugged terrain and poor accessibility, especially in areas behind Mount Tempfü, have limited manual firefighting efforts in certain pockets.
To strengthen containment measures, two Indian Air Force helicopters have been deployed for aerial operations. Each helicopter carried out three Bambi bucket water-dropping sorties on both Saturday and Sunday, with additional sorties planned. The Bambi bucket system allows helicopters to drop large quantities of water over fire-hit areas in difficult terrain.
While a detailed scientific assessment of the damage is yet to be conducted, preliminary estimates by district officials suggest that nearly one-third of the Dzükou area may have been impacted. They reiterated, however, that the main valley remains unaffected. Most of the damage has been reported in dwarf bamboo vegetation, which officials believe will regenerate naturally over the coming months.
Firefighting efforts have involved coordinated teams from the district administration, State Disaster Response Force, police, forest department, fire and emergency services, home guards, drone operators, personnel of the 13 Assam Rifles and volunteers from the Southern Angami Youth Organisation (SAYO).
SAYO president Zaseitsolie Beio said the fire initially broke out between the Jakhama and Viswema entry routes before spreading towards Kehoke and Mount Tempfü. He pointed out that dense forest cover, widespread bamboo growth and the difficult landscape significantly hampered operations, while praising SDRF teams for their sustained ground-level efforts under risky conditions.
Both the district administration and SAYO expressed concern over the repeated occurrence of wildfires in the Dzükou valley, attributing them largely to negligence by visitors. Officials said the government, in consultation with SAYO, is considering issuing a formal notification to institutionalise guidelines for the management and upkeep of the ecologically sensitive valley.
Authorities have also urged trekkers and tourists to act responsibly, strictly adhere to prescribed norms and engage authorised guides, warning that careless behaviour could cause long-term damage to the fragile Dzükou ecosystem.
