Kasol: A forest fire broke out on Tuesday afternoon in the Manon village area a locality within Kasauli, a renowned tourist destination in Himachal Pradesh. By 7:00 PM, the fire had not yet been brought under control. Consequently, an Army helicopter was brought to Kasauli to assist in extinguishing the blaze. As evening progressed, the fire intensified further.
This caused panic and chaos throughout the entire region. Originating in the lower forest areas, the fire gradually spread upward, eventually reaching the Upper Mall area. Within a short span of time, the fire engulfed a large section of the forest, blanketing the surrounding area in a thick pall of smoke.
Subsequently, teams from the Army, the Air Force, and the Cantonment Board’s fire brigade arrived at the scene. Over 200 Army personnel took charge of the situation and launched an operation to bring the fire under control. Air Force personnel also remained continuously engaged in relief and rescue operations.
Efforts to Extinguish the Fire Using an Air Force Helicopter
Given the severity of the blaze, an Air Force helicopter was deployed; it collected water from Chandimandir and executed four rounds of aerial water-dumping in an attempt to extinguish the fire. While the fire was partially brought under control, it could not be fully extinguished until late into the night.
Surveillance Continues in the Region
According to Army officials, surveillance of the area will continue throughout the night until the situation is completely under control—to ensure that the fire does not flare up again. Due to strong winds and dry grass, the fire spread rapidly, making the situation challenging to manage.
Local residents state that incidents of forest fires are a recurring phenomenon in the Manon village area every summer. Villagers noted that had the Army and relief teams not arrived in time, the situation could have escalated into a far more catastrophic disaster.