Dzuko valley

Manipur, Dec 31: A huge wildfire engulfed the picturesque Dzuko Valley, which is famous for its biodiversity and seasonal flowers, located at the borders of Manipur and Nagaland.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh called the incident “very unfortunate”, describing Dzuko Valley as “one of the most beautiful places in Manipur”.

The massive fire is likely to have caused huge damage to biodiversity in Dzuko, also known as “the valley of the flowers”.

It started two-three days ago, N Biren Singh said. “Very unfortunate, that a wildfire has started at the Dzuko Valley, one of the most beautiful places in Manipur probably started about 2-3 days ago from the Nagaland side and crossed over to our side. It is likely that the fire might even reach Mt. Iso area today.”

In the visuals he posted, smoke could be seen billowing from the beautiful mountains.

In another tweet, he wrote: “Wildfire at Dzuko valley Officials and villagers could not enter the burning areas as the scale of fire is too large with strong winds and there is no proper equipment it may be difficult to control by manpower. The grasses are dry, more manpower is sending with equipment.”

Indian Air Force choppers are likely to be used today to completely put out the flames. The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) have not yet confirmed the cause of the wildfire.

Dzukou range is said to be a tourists’ favorite. It is popular with trekkers for its interesting and challenging trekking circuits.  It attracts adventure and nature lovers for its scenic beauty and rich flora.