Two-day battle finally extinguishes hill fire
A hill fire in Tuen Mun was finally extinguished at noon yesterday after a 46-hour battle involving about 500 firemen, 104 fire engines and 45 civil aid service members. Government Flying Service helicopters were also brought in to douse the flames.
Fire chiefs inspected the affected areas by helicopter yesterday morning. They included Shan King in the east, Siu Lang Shui in the south, Lung Kwu Tan in the west, and Leung King and Ha Pak Nai in the north. No endangered or rare plants were burned.
'We are happy that no injury was reported. Fire engines and firemen will stay at the site in case the blaze reignites,' said Lau Shu-lam, chief fire officer for the New Territories.
The Lepidopterists Society will visit the area to check whether the fire affected butterflies wintering near Siu Lang Shui and Pak Long.
'Though the site might not have been directly affected by the fire, it certainly affected the temperature and air quality around the area,' said Yiu Vor, the group's secretary. He said there were 15,000 to 20,000 when he visited the site a month ago.
In separate incidents, a fire broke out at Kap Pin Long in Sai Kung at 1pm yesterday and burned a 2,500 square metre area. The fire was put out at 2.30pm. And fire crews last night fought a fire that broke out at 7.40pm in Sai Kung, burning on two fronts stretching 150 metres along the slopes near Tit Kim Hang. The fire was put out by 10.20pm.
