In a first for the Indian Air Force (IAF), night-time ‘Bambi’ bucket operations were successfully undertaken using night vision goggles (NVGs) while combating forest fires in Kasauli in Himachal Pradesh earlier this week.
A Bambi bucket operation is a specialised aerial firefighting technique where a collapsible bucket is suspended beneath a helicopter via a cable system.
The bucket is dipped into a water source like a lake or pond to scoop up thousands of liters of water. The water is released over the fire through an aircrew-controlled valve at the bottom of the bucket.
This type of firefighting operation has advantages over the use of fixed-wing aircraft, as helicopters can hover directly over the affected area and drop water into narrow valleys, steep slopes, and uneven terrain.
Helicopters also have a faster turnaround time since they do not need to land for refilling, which can be done while hovering over a conveniently located water source.
Bambi bucket operations are heavily utilised for mountainous wildfires, such as those in the Himalayas, the Northeastern Indian states, or rugged hills, where terrain restricts the use of fire tenders.
“Conducted in mountainous terrain under challenging visibility conditions, the missions demanded exceptional flying skill, precision and operational expertise," the IAF said on Saturday.
“Despite the inherent risks associated with night firefighting operations, the missions were executed safely and effectively through the professionalism, courage and dedication of the aircrew," the IAF said.
The IAF had received information about a forest fire near Kasauli on May 26 and a Cheetah helicopter was immediately launched to assess the situation.
Thereafter, Mi-17 V5 medium lift helicopters were successfully deployed to combat the massive forest fire in the Kasauli region of Himachal Pradesh under the aid to civil authorities’ framework.
The intense blaze, which spread across nearly 10 hectares in the Kasauli Beat area of Solan district, posed a serious threat to residential areas, critical civil infrastructure and military establishments, according to the IAF.
Operating in close coordination with the state administration, state forest department, Indian Army and local authorities, IAF helicopters undertook sustained Bambi bucket operations to contain and extinguish the fire.
Water was sourced from the Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh, with each sortie carrying approximately 2,000 to 2,500 litres of water.
The operation witnessed relentless aerial firefighting efforts through day and night, discharging more than 93,000 litres of water over the affected area.
Supporting the aerial operations, ground personnel worked tirelessly in extreme weather conditions to ensure rapid aircraft servicing and turnaround, enabling uninterrupted firefighting missions round the clock.
