Extracted Data Points

  • Indian Air Force received information about forest fire near Kasauli on 26th May 2026
  • Cheetah helicopter was immediately launched to assess the situation
  • Mi-17 V5 Medium Lift Helicopters were deployed to combat the forest fire
  • Fire occurred in Kasauli region of Himachal Pradesh under aid to civil authorities framework
  • Intense blaze spread across nearly 10 hectares in Kasauli Beat area of Solan district
  • Fire posed serious threat to residential areas, critical civil infrastructure and military establishments
  • Operation conducted in coordination with State Administration, State Forest Department, Indian Army and local authorities
  • IAF helicopters undertook sustained Bambi Bucket operations
  • Water sourced from Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh
  • Each sortie carried approximately 2,000 to 2,500 litres of water
  • Operation witnessed relentless aerial firefighting efforts through day and night
  • Total water discharged: more than 93,000 litres over the affected area
  • First-ever night Bambi Bucket operations successfully undertaken using Night Vision Goggles (NVGs)
  • Missions conducted in mountainous terrain under challenging visibility conditions
  • Ground personnel worked in extreme weather conditions for rapid aircraft servicing and turnaround
  • Operations enabled uninterrupted firefighting missions round the clock
  • Swift response prevented fire from escalating into major disaster