Army and IAF Contain Lohit Valley Wildfire After High-Altitude Water Drops

Overview

• IAF Mi-17V5 helicopters conducted multiple sorties at roughly 9,500 feet, dropping about 12,000 litres of water to help bring the Anjaw district fire under control.
• Ground teams from the Army worked with state forest personnel to cut fire lines and protect nearby habitations in the Lohit Valley.
• Authorities said no injuries or civilian property damage have been recorded, and some residents were moved from vulnerable hamlets as a precaution.
• A senior police official said the blaze likely began across the LAC on January 21 and spread into India on January 27, with an estimated 450,000 square metres burned; the exact cause remains under investigation.
• The Army also contained a separate wildfire at Tongkorla in Mechukha, as officials highlighted the difficult high-altitude terrain and gusty winds and warned of continued seasonal fire risk.