IAF Conducts 'Bambi Bucket' Op To Douse Nainital Forest Fire: WATCH

The flames encroached upon the High Court Colony in Nainital, posing a serious threat to the residents there.

Indian Air Force's Mi-17 V5 helicopter undertaking Bambi Bucket operations near Nainital. ( Image Source :X/@ANI )

As the forest fires in Uttarakhand escalated on Friday, the Indian Air Force on Saturday deployed its Mi-17 V5 helicopter to undertake Bambi Bucket operations in order to douse the forest fires near Nainital. The flames encroached upon the High Court Colony in Nainital, posing a serious threat to the residents there.

#WATCH | With a forest fire building up in vicinity of an Air Force Station near Nainital, #IAF activated its aerial fire fighting capability, employing a Mi-17 V5 helicopter for undertaking Bambi Bucket Ops: Indian Air Force pic.twitter.com/0eMnlHqEvx

— ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2024

Over the past 24 hours, the raging forest fires have led to the destruction of 33.34 hectares of forest land, with 31 new incidents of forest fires being reported across the northern Himalayan state. 

Three arrests have also been made in Rudraprayag for attempted arson in the forests.

Informing about its Bambi Bucket operation in Uttarakhand, the Indian Air Force shared visuals of the Mi-17 V5 helicopters undertaking the firefighting operation near Nainital. Watch 

With a forest fire building up in vicinity of an Air Force Station near Nainital, #IAF activated its aerial fire fighting capability, employing a Mi-17 V5 helicopter for undertaking Bambi Bucket Ops. pic.twitter.com/2wLbTjW5m8

— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) April 27, 2024  

Bambi Bucket Ops In Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu

Previously, the IAF has been involved in dousing the Nilgiris forest fires in Tamil Nadu in March this year. After the fire could not be controlled and entered its 4th day, the forest department requested the use of IAF's helitankers to help douse the fire.

The Southern Air Command of the IAF received a request for firefighting assistance in Tamil Nadu's Wellington area.

Upon the request, the task was assigned to Air Force station Sulur near Coimbatore, following which the Mi-17 V5 helicopter equipped with the Bambi bucket was dispatched.

The helicopter operated since first light and undertook multiple Bambi Bucket operations to douse the fire. 

Since the operations began, it discharged over 16,000 litres of water to control the fire from spreading further.

The operation was carried out in collboration with the forest department and state administration. 

Continuing its fire fighting efforts to douse the raging forest fire in the Nilgiris, IAF Mi-17 V5 heptrs undertook multiple Bambi Bucket Ops today.
Operating since first light, the heptrs discharged over 16000 litres of water to control the spread of the fire, in collaboration… pic.twitter.com/NQi3cR2uiK

— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 17, 2024

In a similar fire incident, the IAF at the behest of Alwar district administration, stepped in to extend assistance in controlling the fire in Sariska Tiger Reserve in March, 2022. Two Mi-17 V5 helicopters were deployed to undertake Bambi Bucket operation back then.

At the behest of Alwar Dist admin to help control the spread of fire over large areas of #SariskaTigerReserve, @IAF_MCC has deployed two Mi 17 V5 heptrs to undertake #BambiBucket ops.

Fire Fighting Operations are underway since early morning today.#आपत्सुमित्रम pic.twitter.com/HhGEHsdYrS

— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 29, 2022

What is a Bambi Bucket?

Bambi bucket is a specialised apparatus designed for aerial firefighting purposes and was introduced in 1983. It was invented by a Canadian man named Don Arney, founder of SEI Industries.

In India, Mi-17 V5 helicopters utilise Bambi Buckets in their fire fighting operations. It allows the helicopters to transport large volumes of water underneath the aircraft and disperse it over the affected area.

During a Bambi bucket operation, the helicopter flies over the region affected by the fire and releases the water onto the flames, which helps bring the fire under control by either breaking it or extinguishing the flames completely.

Each bucket is collapsible and has a release valve which is controlled by the helicopter crew, who can control when and where the water will be released.