Armed forces bring Kasauli fire under control

In a first, IAF uses night-vision goggles for nocturnal water drops; 93,000 litres poured to save strategic assets

Shimla: A coordinated firefighting operation involving the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force, and the Himachal Pradesh administration has successfully brought the devastating forest fire in Kasauli under control after an extensive day-and-night effort spanning several hours.

The region had been grappling with an intense forest fire for the past several days, raising concerns over the safety of nearby habitations, military establishments, and critical infrastructure.

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To combat the blaze, the Indian Air Force deployed Mi-17 V5 helicopters equipped with Bambi Buckets, while ground teams from the Indian Army and the state administration supported the operation.

The helicopters carried out repeated sorties, drawing water from Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh and dropping it over the fire-affected areas.

According to officials, a total of 93,000 litres of water was released during the operation as part of a sustained effort to contain and extinguish the flames spreading across the hilly terrain.

In a post on X, the Ministry of Defence highlighted the joint effort undertaken by the armed forces and civil authorities.

“Indian Air Force, with active assistance from the Army and the State administration, played a major role in extinguishing the Kasauli forest fire. Mi-17 V5 helicopters using Bambi Buckets were pressed into action on May 26, 2026, to airdrop water over areas affected by fire.

The operation was carried out by day and, in a first, by night using NVGs,” the Ministry said.

“Despite inherent risks from fire, challenging terrain, smoke and night operations, firefighting continued until the fire was brought under control, saving lives and infrastructure on the ground. A total of 93,000 litres of water was poured through multiple sorties by Mi-17 V5 helicopters carrying 2,000 to 2,500 litres per trip from Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh,” it added.

The operation marked a significant milestone as night firefighting missions were conducted using Night Vision Goggles (NVGs), enabling crews to continue water-dropping operations even after sunset.

This capability proved crucial in preventing the blaze from spreading further and threatening sensitive locations.

The Ministry of Defence also shared cockpit footage captured through night-vision equipment, showing large flames visible from the air and helicopters carrying out water drops over smoke-covered hills.

The forest fire, which erupted on the western slopes of Kasauli on May 26, posed a serious threat to the historic and strategically important areas of the Kasauli Cantonment as well as the Air Force Station in Kasauli.

Officials said the blaze was first reported at around 2:50 p.m. on May 26, near the Jangesu Panchayat area. Fanned by strong winds, the fire spread rapidly across the forested landscape, creating a challenging situation for firefighting teams.

In response, a large-scale and sustained firefighting effort was launched involving units of the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force, the Kasauli Cantonment Board and civil fire services.