Shimla

The Indian Army on Wednesday successfully contained a major forest fire that had broken out in the Gilbert Trail and Upper Mall areas on the western slopes of Kasauli in Solan district, officials said.

The blaze started around 3 pm on Tuesday and rapidly spread through the densely forested hills. Initial firefighting efforts by the forest department, fire services and local residents were unable to bring the situation under control.

Following this, the Army’s Kasauli Brigade launched a large-scale coordinated firefighting operation in collaboration with the Indian Air Force, civil authorities from Kasauli and Chandigarh, and other local agencies.

The operation continued for more than 15 hours and involved both ground and aerial firefighting measures. Army troops, along with fire tenders and water carriers, worked to create firebreaks, isolate vulnerable patches and extinguish hotspots to stop the flames from spreading further.

Indian Air Force helicopters carried out multiple “Bambi Bucket” sorties, drawing water from Sukna Lake in Chandigarh to douse flames in inaccessible forest stretches.

Officials said the joint efforts helped significantly contain the fire in key affected zones, including Gilbert Hill and Upper Mall, while preventing the blaze from reaching more vulnerable forest regions.

Despite difficult terrain and prolonged operations, no casualties or injuries were reported among personnel involved in the mission.

READ MORE: Hajj 2026: Faith moves 1.7 million Muslims through Islam's holiest pilgrimage

Western Command chief Lt Gen Pushpendra Singh reviewed the firefighting operation and assessed the ground situation. He praised the troops for their swift response and dedication under challenging conditions and awarded on-the-spot commendation cards to personnel involved in the operation.