Forest Fire in Udzorong

30 May 2008

Villagers and forest officials are fighting a forest fire in Udzorong geog in Trashigang that broke out on Tuesday at around 7:30 pm. The fire has already razed about 500 acres of forest, destroying at least 3,000 pine saplings in three days.

Steep terrain and strong winds, which fanned the fire, has posed a major challenge to the firefighters.

The cause of the fire is not known. Range Officer of Trashigang, Dorji Wangchuk, however, said he suspected arson because the people were known to set pine forests on fire to stimulate fresh lemon grass undergrowth for cattle and to keep wild animals at bay. Udzorong Gup, Tenzin Wangda, said since the fire started from the middle of the forest, it was obvious that someone started it intentionally.

Meanwhile, forest officials are investigating the cause of the fire in collaboration with the local people.
Tenzin said he had formed a fire tshogpa to investigate the cause of the fire. “No culprit has been caught in any forest fire incidentso far, so we are trying hard to find the culprit this time,” he said.

This is the third forest fire in Udzorong Gewog this year. In January, about 800 acres of forest were destroyed in Chiya. A month ago, a fire in Bepam burnt some 200 acres of forest, destroying about 1,000 saplings.