A wildfire that broke out in the southern stretch of Dzukou Valley has led to the evacuation of more than 30 trekkers and prompted authorities to suspend all trekking activities in the area. The incident occurred in Nagaland’s Kohima district, raising concerns over safety and the risk of the fire spreading further. Officials said the trekkers were stranded in the high-altitude valley after the fire spread across parts of the grassland. All of them were later evacuated safely. Soon after the incident came to light, containment operations were launched jointly by the district administration and the Southern Angami Youth Organisation (SAYO) to control the blaze and prevent it from moving into nearby areas.
According to the Kohima District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), the wildfire is believed to have started on Monday. However, officials were formally alerted only on Tuesday after reports and visuals from the area began circulating. The exact cause of the fire and its point of origin are still not known. Deputy Commissioner B Henok Buchem said a team has been constituted for reconnaissance and rescue operations. He said all available resources are being mobilised to stop the fire from spreading further and added that additional manpower would be deployed if the situation demands. The focus, he said, is on safety and quick containment. A DDMA official said an emergency meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday afternoon to assess the situation and decide on the next course of action. The meeting is expected to review ground reports and plan further containment measures.
SAYO president Zasitsolie Beio said the organisation was alerted on Monday afternoon after volunteers shared videos and photographs from the affected area. He said the first priority was to evacuate trekkers and put precautionary measures in place to avoid any loss of life. Following the incident, trekking has been temporarily suspended from both the Jakhama and Viswema entry points to Dzukou Valley. Authorities have advised people to stay away until the situation returns to normal.
