A raging wildfire has swept through Humtso and Wokha villages in Nagaland’s Wokha district, causing widespread damage to agricultural fields and plantations. The fire, suspected to have originated from jhum cultivation, broke out on March 17 and quickly spread due to strong winds and dry vegetation. The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) received the first alert around 1 PM, prompting an immediate response from firefighters and emergency teams. Despite their efforts, the flames continued to spread uncontrollably, reaching difficult steep terrains that made ground intervention nearly impossible.
Teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Fire & Emergency Services battled the blaze until 12:55 AM on Tuesday. However, by Tuesday afternoon, two locations remained engulfed in flames. According to Nuhuta Tunyi, Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil), Wokha, authorities have deployed drones for monitoring, and aerial firefighting remains an option if the fire persists.
Authorities continue to assess the situation as fire service teams and SDRF personnel remain strategically stationed to protect residential areas. The DDMA has warned that the fire has already consumed large sections of cultivated land, with the possibility of further escalation.
