The transformer (circled) is the cause of the Damchu fire according to eyewitnesses. Picture taken a few moments after a loud explosion and sparks starting the fire.

Eyewitnesses say Damchu fire started from a transformer while Haa and Paro fires likely due to trees falling on power lines

With forest fires in Damchu, Haa and Paro, eyewitness accounts and initial assessments now show that all three fires have to do with power lines.

With efforts to contain the blazes and protect nearby settlements all three fires which started on Thursday were contained by Saturday.

In the Haa and Paro fires, both eyewitnesses and even a Bhutan Power Corporation (BPC) official said that unusually strong winds had resulted in trees or branches falling on the 33 KV power lines sparking the fire.

In the case of the massive Damchu fire, Lakhan Singh, Junior Engineer of Project Dantak was doing some maintenance work on the Phuentsholing-Thimphu highway near Damchu along with around 100 Dantak workers on Thursday.

Lakhan said that there is a transformer around 20 feet above the Damchu bridge 111 km from Phuentsholing side and round 10 km before Chunzom. He said there was some electric short circuit in the transformer around 12 pm in the afternoon and strong winds soon spread the fire.

Bhutanese in the area also heard a loud blast sound from the transformer before the fire started.

On the direction of the Dantak Chief Engineer, JE Lakhan Singh and 100 workers including two water tankers swung into action to try and control the fire. The effort of the Dantak team ensured that the settlement in Watsa could be saved, which has some Bhutanese houses and shops and a Dantak field office.

Lakhan said that the fire, as on Friday evening, had gone smaller than on Thursday, but the fire had gone to the higher reaches and some of the bigger trees in the higher reaches had burned. Lakhan had said the fire can be brought under control provided the strong winds die down which it did on Saturday and hence the fire could be controlled.

The BPC, itself, is compiling a report of what happened, and they said it will be made public soon.

The fires appear to have impacted the three 220 KV lines from Tala and Chukha projects which supplies power to Thimphu, Paro, Haa, Wangdue, Punakha, Gasa etc., and is also connected to the national grid.

The first two lines went dead at 1.42 pm and the third line at 1.43 pm on Thursday. The BPC had to provide power from the Basochu line using the national grid which kept the power on in these Dzongkhags.

Two of the 220 KV lines are back up and the third was about to be brought back up as of Friday evening.

On the transformer that sparked in Damchu, a BPC official said the transformer is still working and they are looking into it.

Regarding the Haa and Paro fires, a BPC official said the right of way for trees and vegetation under the power lines is kept at 18 meters for 33 KV lines and 12 meters for 11 KV lines, however, when winds are very strong then rotten or old trees falling on the power lines cannot be stopped.

In the Damchu fire, The Bhutanese has accessed some pictures which were taken just a few moments after the fire was started from the transformer. The pictures show the initial fire being just above the transformer.

The Damchu fire has already destroyed four traditional two-story houses and three buckle houses.

Emergency teams comprising Desuups, Royal Bhutan Police (RBP), Royal Bhutan Army (RBA), forestry officials, dzongkhag personnel and Dantak have been deployed to the scene. Two fire trucks one from Chukha and another from Thimphu assisted the containment efforts.

Strong winds had hampered the ability of responders to control the flames, which spread quickly from Damchu to Tshamdrak and Paga Chiwogs on Thursday. The settlement in Paga was not under threat by Friday as the fire has been partially contained then.

Officials on friday stated that the fire was under control, with drones from the Department of Forest and Park Services being used to monitor the situation and deploy responders. They had said if the weather remains calm, they expect full containment by Saturday which is what happened .

A fire broke out on Thursday in Neyphug Chiwog, Shaba, Paro. The blaze, although under control, by friday was very challenging to tackle due to the lack of road access and water supply. Responders had to carry fire packs and fire bags to manually contain the spread.

Residents suspect the fire was caused by a tree branch striking a transmission line during strong winds earlier in the day.

There have been no casualties or damage to structures due to the fire being confined to the mountaintop areas away from residential areas. The favorable weather conditions on Friday helped to keep the fire from spreading far.  By Saturday it was extinguished.

A third fire began in Bali Chiwog of Katso Gewog, Haa on Thursday and spread to Yatom and Ingo Chiwogs. The steep terrain and lack of road access in Haa significantly hindered containment efforts. The fire impacted over 50 households in Ingo Chiwog, with 10 homes at risk.

Personnel from the RBP, RBA, DeSuup, and forestry officials were on the ground, working to protect lives and properties. By friday the risk in Bali and Yatom Chiwogs was contained, while Ingo Chiwog remained at heightened risk.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire may have been caused by a tree hitting a transmission line. The total area of forest affected has yet to be determined.

By Saturday evening the Haa fire was the last to be fully contained.

Emergency responders across all three sites were battling difficult conditions, including strong winds, steep terrain, and limited road access. The use of drones in Damchu provided valuable insights for managing resources and identifying hotspots, but manual firefighting was the primary method in Paro and Haa.

An official at the Damchu site said, strong winds made it challenging to control the fire on Thursday, but from Friday the weather was favorable.

An official at Shaba had also said, that if the weather remains calm, they should be able to completely contain the blaze. Wind during the afternoon was a concern. An official from Katso Gewog said the steep ridges in Haa made containment efforts particularly challenging.

The fires in Damchu have caused the most significant damage with seven homes destroyed. In Haa there were no major damages. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported in any of the affected areas.

Investigations into the causes of the fires are ongoing. However, official findings are underway.

An official said, “The dry season significantly contributes to forest fires by reducing moisture levels in vegetation, turning plants and leaf litter into highly flammable fuel. With lower humidity, plants dry out quickly, and dead foliage accumulates on the forest floor, creating ideal conditions for wildfires to ignite and spread rapidly. Additionally, dry soil fails to retain moisture, further intensifying the arid environment and fueling the blaze.”

Authorities have urged residents in fire-prone areas to remain vigilant and report any new outbreaks immediately. With the dry season and gusty winds increasing the risk of forest fires, preparedness is critical to minimizing damage and loss.

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