Chamoli: Firefighting efforts were intensified on Wednesday as a helicopter was deployed for an aerial survey of the forest fire raging for the past five days in the Nanda Devi Wildlife Forest Division of Chamoli district.

Divisional Forest Officer Sarvesh Dubey said the helicopter is being used only for monitoring, as water bombing is not practical due to limited water-carrying capacity and long refill distances from Tehri Lake.

Forest Department teams have reached the fire-affected Pulna and Bhyundar areas in the Pushpavati Valley under the Govindghat Forest Range. Dubey said it may take at least two more days to fully control the fire, citing rocky and inaccessible terrain.

He clarified that the blaze is outside the Valley of Flowers National Park. The Lakshman Ganga and Pushpavati rivers are acting as natural firebreaks, and both the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib remain completely safe.

The fire has been active since January 9, with the Forest Department, district administration and Disaster Management Department working continuously to contain it.

Himalayan Live Bureau

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