Massive fire breaks out at Rajasthan’s Sariska Tiger Reserve, IAF helicopters deployed to control blaze

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A massive fire has broken out in Rajasthan's Sariska Tiger Reserve and has spread to across a sprawling expanse of over 10 sq km and Indian Air Force (IAF) choppers have been deployed to control the flames, according to officials.</p>
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At the behest of Alwar Dist admin to help control the spread of fire over large areas of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SariskaTigerReserve?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SariskaTigerReserve</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/IAF_MCC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IAF_MCC</a> has deployed two Mi 17 V5 heptrs to undertake <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BambiBucket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BambiBucket</a> ops.<br />
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Fire Fighting Operations are underway since early morning today.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#आपत्सुमित्रम</a> <a href="https://t.co/HhGEHsdYrS">pic.twitter.com/HhGEHsdYrS</a></p>
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) <a href="https://twitter.com/IAF_MCC/status/1508754412201975811?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The two IAF helicopters have been scooping up water from Rajasthan's Siliserh Lake and dropping it over the forest fire in Sariska which is 43 km from the lake.</p>
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The fire has engulfed the territory of a tigress, codenamed ST-17 for tracking by scientists, which is at the area with her two cubs, officials said. There are over 20 tigers in the Sariska reserve.</p>
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The IAF in a statement said they sent two Mi-17 V5 helicopters after the Alwar district administration sent an SOS to help control the fire "which had spread over large areas in Sariska."</p>
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The IAF has deployed two Mi-17 V5 helicopters for Bambi bucket ops. The operations are ongoing," it said.</p>
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These special buckets are used for lifting and dumping water and fire-retardant chemicals to douse flames.</p>
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Three villages near the tiger reserve have been put on alert as the fire didn't die down for over 24 hours due to strong winds that fanned the flames.</p>
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While the cause of the fire is not known, there has been an intense heat wave in the northern parts of the country in recent days.</p>
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<strong>Also read:</strong>  <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/india-news/madhya-pradesh-leads-in-tiger-deaths-maharashtra-at-nd-spot-and-karnataka-is-rd-160348.html">Madhya Pradesh leads in tiger deaths, Maharashtra at 2nd spot and Karnataka is 3rd</a></p>