The sources said that a wildfire believed to have started from the Barak river side was raging towards Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya at Duigailong, located near the district hospital.

While the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained, it was suspected that the fire might have spread from Jhum fields in the Barak river side, the sources added. 

Tamenglong District Forest Officer (DFO) Kh Hitler Singh told the Imphal Free Press that three range forest officers, field staff of forest division were deputed. Villagers have been fighting the fire since 7 pm, he added.

The DFO said that fire tenders were also rushed to the spot and the fire was brought under control on one side. However, the fire in the northern side was yet to be doused as the fire brigade could not reach the area, he said at the time of filing the report. 

Asserting that most of  the wildfires in the district are caused by jhum cultivation, the DFO urged the jhum cultivators to ensure that the fire is restricted only to the area they cleared for cultivation. 

A wildfire broke out at the Prayer Mountain in the Gadai Hills range of the district on March 15 evening.