Two in Thimphu, just after campaign to prevent one

«The forest fire in Yangchenphug raged for almost two hours yesterday

Some children, who were playing with firecrackers, could have sparked off the forest fire in Depsi, Thimphu, around 1:30pm on November 17.

While forest officials are still investigating the case, the fire has razed about seven acres of forest. 

Head of forest fire management, Tandin Dorji, however, said no trees were damaged. “There were only bushes and grasses, which weren’t very thick,” he said. “The fuel content wasn’t very high, so the intensity of fire was quite low.” 

More than 350 armed force personnel, forest officials, forest fire volunteers, desuups and locals, along with five fire engines, battled the fire.  It was contained at 4:15pm the same afternoon. 

Another fire occurred yesterday, from a short circuit of an electric pole around 1:15pm near Yangchenphug higher secondary school.  It burnt less than an acre of land and took about 150 armed force personnel, desuups, other volunteers and four fire engines to contain it by 3pm. 

Forest officials said post fire assessment starts today.  The forest fires sparked off just after forest and park services department conducted a two-day awareness campaign to prevent forest fires.

By Sonam Choden