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Wildfire erupts in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang, no casualties reported
A wildfire erupted in Arunachal Pradesh near Tawang Chur river. However, with swift action, it was prevented from spreading to residential areas.
A wildfire erupted in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday morning and engulfed the area around the Tawang Chu river in Tawang district, reported news agency PTI quoting officials. The fire quickly spread to the nearby villages such as Sagkyur, according to the district officials.
However, swift action from concerned authorities helped avert any major crisis. The administration of Tawang’s Lungla, along with Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Indian Army personnel from the Tawang brigade quickly intervened and controlled the fire. The local residents and police also extended support and extinguished the blaze near the residential pockets and villages, said the officials. No loss of life or property damage was reported.
While the flames near villages have been doused, the blaze continues to burn the dense jungle. It is difficult to reach the area due to steep mountains and challenging terrain. However, the authorities are on high alert to prevent any further spread of the fire.
Lungla’s additional deputy commissioner Ama Nungnu Mara and district disaster management officer Genden Tsomu are leading coordination efforts on the ground, said the report.
More details are awaited.
LA Wildfires
This wildfire eruption comes as Los Angeles in the United States’ California continues to burn and battle major fires for almost three weeks now. On Wednesday, a new blaze called ‘Hughes Fire’ erupted, prompting evacuation orders for as many as 50,000 people.
However, in a major relief for the people of LA, a rain forecast is in place for the weekend, said an Associated Press report. According to the National Weather Service, the rains may start on Sunday.
The winds have also calmed as compared to when the Palisades and Eaton fires, two of the worst LA saw, erupted. The calmer winds allowed the firefighting jets to dump thousands of gallons of fire retardant, aiding their efforts to control the fires.
According to fire spokesperson Jeremy Ruiz, the Hughes fire was controlled in the north of LA as helicopters could drop water due to better weather conditions. “We had helicopters dropping water until around 3 a.m. That kept it in check,” he said.
As of Thursday, three-quarters of the Palisades fire was under control and the Eaton fire was 95% controlled, the report added. These two fires caused at least 28 deaths and destruction of over 14,000 structures since January 7.
The newly inaugurated President Trump is set to visit LA and also North Carolina which is battling with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Friday in the first official trip of his second administration.
Wildfire Prevention
Some areas in Arunachal Pradesh are susceptible to forest fires. While such incidents are not frequently reported, they are not uncommon either. According to Arunachal Pradesh’s disaster management authority, there are a few things that can be done to contain or prevent forest fires and save lives in case of any eruption.
They suggest maintaining ‘forest blocks’ to prevent day litter from forests during summer season. In case calling the fire brigade is not a possibility, the fire can be put out by digging or circling the fire with water. Farm animals and movable goods should be taken to someplace safer in case of a forest fire eruption.
To prevent such fires, the authorities suggest not throwing “smoldering cigarette butts or bidi” in the forests and avoid leaving the burning wood sticks in or near the forest.
