On January 24, the Hoa Lu City People’s Committee in Ninh Binh announced that authorities are investigating a forest fire that broke out on Phu Khong Mountain in Truong Yen Commune, part of the Trang An World Heritage Site core zone.

The fire was first reported around 4:30 p.m. on January 23, when local residents noticed flames erupting on the mountain. They promptly worked together to control the fire while notifying local authorities.

Since the fire occurred in a remote area of the mountain, far from major roads and residential areas, firefighting equipment could not easily reach the site.

Hundreds of individuals, including local residents, boat operators, local authorities, fire and rescue police, and military personnel, were immediately mobilized to combat the blaze.

However, the rugged terrain of the limestone mountains and the considerable distance from the main road made access to the scene challenging.

Rescue teams had to transport equipment by boat and clear firebreaks to prevent the fire from spreading further. High-capacity water pumps were also used to combat the flames.

After many hours of effort, the fire was successfully contained and extinguished by 11:00 p.m. the same day.

The blaze destroyed approximately 2 hectares of special-use forest.

Tran Nghi