New Delhi [India], January 15 (ANI): The Indian Air Force (IAF) responded 'swiftly' to fight a forest fire in Uttarakhand's Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve area on Wednesday. According to the Central Air Command (CAC), an IAF Mi-17 V5 helicopter was deployed in firefighting mode at Joshimath in response to a requisition from the state government. In this response, the CAC highlighted the IAF's dual role in defence and disaster response.

The official X post of the CAC, IAF stated, 'The IAF's operational readiness was demonstrated yet again, when the @IAF_MCC responded swiftly to fight a forest fire in Uttarakhand's Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve area. The IAF Mi-17 V5 helicopter, from Central Air Command was deployed in fire fighting mode at Joshimath to meet the requirement of the requisition from State Govt. This response, once again, highlighted the IAF's dual role in defense and disaster response.'

According to the official website of Uttarakhand, 'The Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, also known as the Nanda Devi National Park, is a spectacular expanse of wilderness in the upper reaches of the Himalayas. The Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve and the Valley of Flowers, both on the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List, encompass a unique transition zone between the Zanskar mountain range and the Great Himalaya. Located under the guard of the Nanda Devi peak, the rugged and dramatic reserve is spread across three districts of Uttarakhand, i.e., Chamoli, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar.'

With an area of over 6,407.03 sq km, the reserve is divided into two distinct zones, namely, the core zone and the outer buffer zone.

The official website stated that. ' There are two core zones, namely Nanda Devi National Park and Valley of Flowers National Park. What makes these parks even more spectacular are the Alaknanda River and its tributaries, including Rishi Ganga, Dhauli Ganga, Pushwapati, and Khiro Ganga, which crisscross the area. In addition to Nanda Devi, several peaks line the reserve, including Trishul, Dunagiri, Kalanka, and Nanda Ghungti.'

With exceptional biodiversity, the reserve supports significant populations of globally threatened species, including the snow leopard, the Himalayan musk deer, and numerous plant species. It is also home to the Asiatic black bear, Himalayan brown bear, bharal and Himalayan tahr. It is also a prominent bird-watching zone. Aside from some community-based ecotourism in small portions of these parks, this area serves as a control site for maintenance. (ANI)