Nainital, April 27 -- A forest fire has been sweeping through the dense foliage in the mountains surrounding Nainital over the last 36 hours, an official said, adding that the Indian Air Force (IAF) has deployed its personnel and MI-17 choppers in a dousing operation in the area.

According to officials, the IAF choppers are lifting water from the nearby Bhimtal Lake in Nainital and spraying it in the area to contain and eventually put out the raging forest fire.

Rahul Anand, the executive officer of Nainital Nagar Palika, informed ANI after an aerial inspection that MI-17 choppers are jet-spraying on the affected areas amid the raging forest fire.

"I carried out an aerial inspection and can confirm IAF choppers have been involved in fi...