A forest fire that broke out on April 3 at Ungma village continues to burn, threatening nearby areas and causing damage to vegetation and wildlife.
Morung Express News
Mokokchung | April 5
A forest fire that broke out in Ungma village on April 3 has continued to burn for the third consecutive day, prompting urgent community efforts to contain the blaze and raising concerns about its potential spread to neighboring villages.
Speaking to The Morung Express, R Nungshi Jamir, Chairman of the Ungma Village Council, said that villagers have been battling the fire continuously for the past three days. “All men above the age of 15 from the village have been going out to fight the fire every day,” he said, adding that volunteers from nearby areas have also joined the firefighting efforts.
While the exact cause of the fire remains unknown, Jamir noted that although the villagers have managed to control the fire in certain areas, it keeps reappearing in other locations. “Most of the affected area is not accessible by road, which makes it extremely difficult for fire brigades to intervene,” he said.
Jamir informed that the Ungma Village Council has requested the district administration to remain alert in case the fire spreads to nearby villages such as Kupza. “We have also asked neighboring areas to take precautions and be on high alert,” he added.
An official from the Mokokchung Fire Department confirmed that both village volunteers and fire personnel are trying their best to control the blaze. “Our priority is to ensure that the fire does not spread to residential areas. The terrain is inaccessible for our vehicles, and with the dry season, anything can happen in town at any moment,” the official said. He also pointed out the department’s limited manpower, which makes it difficult to attend to every forest fire in the district. “These incidents are happening across various districts, and our resources are stretched,” he added.
In a separate incident, a massive fire broke out at the Tzusapang Saw Mill in Mokokchung during the early hours of Friday, April 4, resulting in an estimated property loss of around Rs 2 crore.
The fire destroyed heavy machinery, lumber and a vehicle at the site. Firefighters from both Mokokchung Fire Station (North) and Fire Station (South) responded, deploying three fire tenders—two from the North and one from the South, the official said. The operation was assisted by local police and Assam Rifles personnel. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. However, fire officials stated that the sawmill owners suspected foul play, claiming the fire appeared to have been ignited from multiple locations simultaneously, possibly out of “jealousy.” Despite these suspicions, officials emphasized that nothing has been confirmed so far.
