Tshering Namgyal | Mongar

Forest fire that started yesterday morning in Maenbi gewog, Lhuentse, damaged more than 200 acres of forest, mostly chirpine trees and lemon grasses.

Police, dessups, villagers of Tangmachhu, and dzongkhag officials could not contain the forest fire yesterday even with the help of a fire fighting engine.

Forest officials said that fueled by strong winds and steep terrain, the fire and about 300 acres of forest would be burned overnight.

The fire reached near an automobile workshop area in Sumpa as of last night.




While there is no threat to lives and major damage on properties, a hut at the transit camp at Sumpa has been burned down.

Though the cause of the fire is not known, Lhuentse forest officials said the people claimed the fire started at 7am from a nearby stream at Thinleypang.

A senior forest range officer, Jamtsho, said they were hoping the fire to get contained by tomorrow when it touches the small stream near Sumpa.

Similarly, in Mongar, a forest fire in Drametse burned more than 20 acres of forest, which mostly consisted chirpines and lemon grasses yesterday afternoon.




According to sources, the fire began from Frumshing village under Baging chiwog.

Police, gewog staff, dessups and villagers controlled the fire from coming to Frumshing village, but it raged towards Gasheri village and Mongar-Trashigang highway.

In both cases, the cause of the fire is not known.