Four trekkers rescued as wildfire erupts in Nagaland’s Dzükou Valley; trekking banned

KOhima: A wildfire stone-broke come out in Nagaland’s Dzükou vale on the western sandwich face of Kohima district on Friday, officials said, adding that an emergency response team rescued four trekkers, though they had yet to reach the base camp set up in Khonoma, the nearest village to the blaze.Counter-fire measures, along with an aerial survey, will be carried out early Saturday morning, officials said.Officials at the Khonoma base camp said drone surveillance could not be carried out on Friday due to strong winds, and that because of road and mobile connectivity issues, the first team of responders has yet to reach the base camp to provide a first-hand assessment of the fire.“We have banned trekking and will conduct counter-fire measures along with chopper service to contain the fire from tomorrow morning since it is not physically feasible, considering the isolated and dense forest cover,” Kohima’s deputy commissioner B Henok Buchem said.The response teams are being assisted by volunteers from Khonoma and the Western Angami Youth Organisation.“The emergency response team had rescued four trekkers but they are yet to reach the base camp which has been set up in Khonoma, the nearest village to the wildfire,” Buchem added.While the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, officials said a preliminary investigation has been initiated.On the southern part of the valley, which adjoins Manipur, the Southern Angami Youth Organisation has also initiated precautionary measures, including an immediate ban on trekking in the valley within its jurisdiction.“In light of the fire outbreak at Western Dzükou on December 12, 2025, all trekking activities to Dzükou Valley are immediately suspended. This closure is a precautionary measure to prevent any risk to trekkers, as the raging fire may potentially spread towards the Southern Dzükou Valley,” a statement from the youth organisation said.It further stated that trekking shall remain suspended until the fire is fully extinguished and safety is completely ensured.Dzükou Valley, bordered by mountain ridges with thickets of forests on all sides, has immense ecological and social significance as it acts as a catchment for many rivers and rivulets emerging from the valley and adjoining mountain ranges. Large parts of the valley and adjacent hill slopes are covered by dense carpets of monopodial bamboo (Arundinaria sp.). The forests to the north of the valley provide habitat and breeding grounds for the endemic and rare bird species, Blyth’s Tragopan, the state bird of Nagaland.The rare ecosystem comprising the valley and surrounding ridges is a major tourist destination.In 2015 and 2020, similar fires devastated the valley, with an estimated 8–10 sq km affected. Those incidents had prompted the Indian Air Force (IAF) to join the firefighting efforts to support ground forces.