Dzukou Valley wildfire races towards Manipur’s highest peak Mt Esii; NDRF deployed
The fire has been reportedly burning continuously for over 48 hours & is rapidly advancing across forested slopes
Forest fire raging in Nagaland’s Dzukou Valley has spread alarmingly close to Mt Esii in Manipur
Imphal, Jan 29: A massive forest fire raging in Nagaland’s Dzukou Valley has spread alarmingly close to Mt Esii, the highest peak in Manipur, raising serious environmental concerns as the blaze entered its second consecutive day on Thursday.
According to reports, the fire has been burning continuously for over 48 hours and is rapidly advancing across forested slopes, fuelled by dry weather conditions and strong winds.
Despite sustained efforts by local residents, the sheer scale of the blaze has made containment extremely challenging.
Members of the Song-song Youth and Students’ Organisation (SSYSO), along with villagers from nearby areas, have mobilised on a war footing to prevent the flames from spreading further.
However, volunteers on the ground described the situation as critical. “The fire has grown too extensive to be controlled without professional firefighting support,” said one volunteer.
Environmentalists and community leaders have warned that any delay in state intervention could have devastating consequences for Manipur’s fragile ecosystem, including large-scale loss of forest cover, destruction of wildlife habitats and long-term ecological imbalance.
Meanwhile, sources said the Governor has assured the deployment of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to tackle the blaze.
Aerial firefighting support is also likely to be deployed, given the rugged terrain and inaccessibility of the affected areas.
Authorities are yet to issue an official assessment of the damage caused so far.