Fires continue to pose a significant risk to homes, forests and communities across the country. The police recorded 122 fire incidents last year, with house fires making up almost half of all cases. According to the police’s 2025 yearbook, electrical faults and open burning were among the leading identified causes. However, in the majority of incidents, the exact cause could not be determined and was recorded as unknown.
Structural and forest fires dominated fire incidents last year. House fires were by far the single most common type of blaze, accounting for 58 of the 122 incidents, nearly half of the national total.
Nearly 30 forest fires and 21 bush fires were recorded. Six fires were due to electrical faults, and vehicle and other fires made up the remainder, with four incidents respectively.
While the type of fire is known, identifying what actually started it remained a challenge.
The cause could not be established in 52 of the 122 fire incidents, or about 43 per cent of all fires.
Of the 71 incidents where a cause was established, electrical faults were overwhelmingly the top culprit, responsible for 38 incidents.
Open burning was the second most common identified cause, with 13 cases followed by butter lamps and cooking or kitchen activities with four cases each.
This means electrical faults alone accounted for more than half of all fires where the cause was established.
The figures point to electrical safety as one of the key areas where fire prevention efforts could make a difference.
Faulty wiring, overloaded electrical systems and unsafe appliances can turn an ordinary household into a fire hazard within seconds.
Fires were recorded in 19 of 20 districts, but the toll was heavily concentrated in the west. Thimphu alone recorded 42 incidents, followed by Paro with 17 cases and Mongar with 8 cases.
Tashi Dekar, BBS News
Edited by Tandin Phuntsho
