Severe forest fire spreads across Himachal, IAF deploys helicopters to control flames in Solan and Kasauli, watch video

Severe forest fires have erupted in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan and Kasauli regions as extreme heatwave conditions continue to affect the hill state. The blaze has rapidly spread through orchard lands and dense forest areas, raising serious concern among authorities.

Flames Engulf Kasauli and Nearby Villages

Videos emerging from the affected regions show intense fire activity in Kasauli and Kyarighat village near Kandaghat, highlighting the scale and severity of the situation. The fires have spread across green cover areas, making containment efforts more challenging.

IAF Deploys Helicopters for Firefighting

At least two Indian Air Force helicopters were deployed on Tuesday to assist in firefighting operations as efforts intensified to control the spreading flames. The Air Force has pressed into service Mi-17 and Chinook helicopters to tackle the blaze, especially in areas that are inaccessible from the ground.

Water Dropped from Sukhna Lake

The deployed helicopters are also ferrying water from Chandigarh’s Sukhna Lake to help douse the fire and contain its spread across forested regions.

Ongoing Efforts to Control Blaze

Authorities continue to work on controlling the forest fires, with coordinated ground and aerial operations underway to prevent further damage to the affected regions.

[With TOI inputs]