Australia-type bushfire ravages Mizoram’s Lunglei district

KOLKATA: Indian Air Force helicopters with Bambi Buckets have been pressed into service to put out an Australia-type bushfire raging for two days in Mizoram’s Lunglei district.

Late on Sunday night, the fire had spread to Lunglei town and villages in the adjoining district of Lawngtlai. Mizoram government firefighters, backed by Assam Rifles and Border Security Force troops and local volunteer groups have so far failed to put out the fire, officials said. The fire was sparked around 7 am on Saturday possibly by some villagers who were trying to clear the hills near Lunglei town, possibly for shifting cultivation common in the hills of Northeast India. It snowballed into a raging bushfire spreading to ten village council areas in and around Lunglei town. By Sunday night, it had spread to three rural development blocks of Lawngtlai district. Officials said the helicopters have somewhat helped control the fire. “We have controlled much of the fire by Saturday evening itself,” said A. Kulothungan, DC, Lunglei district, “However, it erupted again on Sunday and is still raging. High winds and dry vegetation have caused the spread of the fire and it is now a huge challenge to put it out.”

Mizoram DIPR said in a press statement that the fire ravaged localities such as Zotlang, Serkawn, Chanmari in Lunglei town, even engulfing “some buildings”. But it said the fire in Lunglei town “could be contained and doused before it caused any major loss to property.”

“In Bungtlang South, the fire completely destroyed fourteen houses. Nobody were injured but livestock perished in the fire,” said Marilyn Rualzakhumthangi, ADC, Lawngtlai district. “Smaller fires are still burning but that might not jeopardise human settlements but we cannot be complacent,” said ADC Rualzakhumthangi.

The Forest Survey of India, Dehradun says forests of the Northeast and central India regions are the most vulnerable areas to forest fires.