Indian Air Force deploys MI 17 chopper to control forest fire in Coimbatore

Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 16 : The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Sunday deployed one Mi-17 helicopter to fight raging forest fires in the Madukkarai forest range of the Coimbatore Forest Division.

"Information was received at HQ Southern Air Command about a forest fire in the Madukkarai Range of Coimbatore Forest Division. At first light on April 16, the Mi-17 V5 helicopter of AF Stn Sulur was pressed into 'Bambi Bucket' operations for dousing the fire," IAF said.

Meanwhile, the IAF chopper lifted the water in a bucket to douse fire in Nande Gounden Padur forest in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore. "The operation is underway," IAF said.

On Saturday a recce was conducted at the affected areas by a chopper from the Sular Air Force station and frontline staff were deployed at the reserve forest to put out the fire, a district forest officer said.

On April 11, the fire was detected in the Madukkarai forest range of the Coimbatore Forest Division after which several efforts are made to douse the fire.

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