(Forest fire update) Meanwhile a forest fire in Punakha damaged more than one thousand acres of forest. It started around 1 am today from near the Toeb Rongchu Bridge and quickly spread towards Toeb Walapokto, where the Sangchen Dorji lhakhang is located.
Our reporter, Kinzang Thinley, said the volunteers managed to save the Lhakhang. Local people, forestry officials, armed forces and the PHPA fire fighting team are battling the forest fire. The fire is now spreading towards Nalanda in Talo.
Forestry officials suspect the fire could have started from Toeb Rongchu Bridge, where shifting cultivation is practiced.
Monggar fire contained
Meanwhile, the forest fire in Monggar has been contained after raging for three days. Over 1500 acres of forest is estimated to be damaged. It will take another few more days to assess the exact extent of damage. There are no reports of casualty.
According to the Gyalpoizhing Forest range officer, some part of Tongla community forest and few rural timbers in Drepong were damaged.
In the meantime, with the help of police and forestry officials, the residents of Mongar town and Gyalpoizhing are cleaning the debris left by the fire, in different parts of Kengkhar, Saling and Drepong. Forestry officials are also monitoring the affected areas.
