Tuen Mun hill fire rages for 13 hours

Stacy Shi and Wallis Wang

A raging hill fire in Tuen Mun on Monday night was finally put out by firefighters yesterday morning after battling it for 13 hours.

The hill fire broke out in the vicinity of Lam Tei Reservoir in Fu Tei, Tuen Mun, on the evening of Christmas Day when the red fire danger warning was in force.

The police received several reports from residents of Po Tong Ha Tsuen, Noble Place, Kingston Terrace, Yan Tin Estate, Fu Tai Estate, and other areas in Tuen Mun since 7pm on Monday, saying that they saw the hill fire in the vicinity of the MacLehose Trail.

According to the Fire Services Department, there were two fire lines near Lam Tei Reservoir, each of which stretched for about 200 meters.

The fire was yet to be extinguished by about 11pm on Monday, but the two fire lines had only been reduced to about 150 meters each.

After an overnight battle lasting over 13 hours, the fire was finally extinguished at 8.51am yesterday.

According to the Hong Kong Observatory, the highest temperature in Tuen Mun reached 19.3 degrees Celsius on Monday and the mercury dipped to 10.3 degrees at the lowest. The SAR's humidity on Monday ranged between 38 to 64 percent.

The fire occurred during HKO's red fire danger warning, which was in force for two days starting at 6am on Sunday.

"The fire risk is extreme. The countryside is extremely vulnerable to fire," the government said in a statement on Sunday, right after the HKO issued the warning.

"If you are planning to spend the day in the countryside, please take pre-cooked food for picnics and take all measures to prevent hill fires. The penalty for lighting fires illegally in the countryside is HK$25,000 and one year's imprisonment," it said.

The HKO temporarily downgraded the fire danger warning to yellow for six hours from 6am to 12pm yesterday, but issued the red signal again at noon.

Under the influence of a dry northeast monsoon, it will be dry during the day today with sunny periods, and another dry northeast monsoon is expected to reach the coast of southern China on Sunday, the HKO said.