High winds stall aerial ops in battling Nilgiris forest fire

Udagamandalam: Efforts to contain the forest fire in the Nilgiris suffered a major setback on Sunday after strong winds forced the suspension of the Indian Air Force's helicopter operations.The wildfire, which broke out last week, continues to spread through the Parsons Valley and Pykara forest ranges, destroying nearly 5,000 acres of green cover.The fire, intensified by a prolonged dry spell and rising summer temperatures, spread rapidly across more than 20 locations near the Avalanche forest area. On Friday, two Mi-17 V5 helicopters were deployed from Sulur Air Force Station for "Bambi Bucket" operations, drawing water from nearby reservoirs to douse the flames.However, officials said the mission had to be halted. "Gusty winds in the upper reaches of the Nilgiris have made aerial manoeuvring extremely risky. While the helicopters were initially effective, current wind speeds are preventing them from hovering over active fire zones," a senior officer said.With aerial operations suspended, firefighting has shifted entirely to ground teams. Around 200 forest department personnel from Coimbatore, Dindigul, Sathyamangalam, Dharmapuri, and Salem, along with 60 fire and rescue services personnel and 60 National Disaster Response Force personnel, have been deployed.The affected areas are home to tigers, elephants, and endemic flora. Conservationists have raised serious concerns over the destruction of large stretches of shola grasslands and ancient elephant corridors.The district has been facing severe drought-like conditions, leaving the undergrowth extremely dry. What began as a localised fire in Pykara and Glenmorgan last week quickly escalated, crossing firebreaks because of strong winds."Our teams are working day and night using fire beaters and creating fresh counter-fires to contain the spread, but the terrain is extremely challenging," a forest officer said.