IAF Deploys Mi-17 V5 Helicopter to Combat Forest Fire in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Uttarakhand

Joshimath, Uttarakhand, January 15: The Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed a Mi-17 V5 helicopter from its Central Air Command (CAC) to assist in firefighting efforts in the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve after a forest fire broke out in the region. The action was taken in response to a request from the Uttarakhand state government.

The CAC highlighted the operation on its official social media, stating that the IAF’s rapid response demonstrated its dual role in national defense and disaster management. The helicopter was equipped and operated in fire-fighting mode to contain the blaze in Joshimath, a key area within the Nanda Devi Reserve.

The Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, spans over 6,407 square kilometers across Chamoli, Pithoragarh, and Bageshwar districts. It includes two core zones—Nanda Devi National Park and the Valley of Flowers National Park—along with surrounding buffer zones. The reserve is known for its rugged Himalayan terrain, including peaks such as Trishul, Dunagiri, Kalanka, and Nanda Ghungti, and is crisscrossed by rivers and tributaries like Alaknanda, Rishi Ganga, Dhauli Ganga, Pushwapati, and Khiro Ganga.

The reserve hosts a remarkable variety of flora and fauna, including globally threatened species such as snow leopards, Himalayan musk deer, Asiatic black bears, Himalayan brown bears, bharal, and Himalayan tahr. It is also an important site for birdwatching and serves as a controlled conservation area, with limited community-based ecotourism.

Authorities in Chamoli have placed the district on high alert to prevent further spread of the fire, while the IAF and state firefighting teams continue their coordinated efforts to safeguard this ecologically sensitive region.