Massive Japanese-related reserve wildfire in E. Mongolia burns over half mln hectares of land

ULAN BATOR, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- A massive steppe fire in a strictly protected nature reserve in Mongolia's eastern Dornod province burned 528,765.5 hectares of land, local media reported Tuesday, citing the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.

The fire broke out on Oct. 8 in the core zone of the Numrug Strictly Protected Area in Dornod province. It was fully extinguished on the morning of Oct. 16. Initial investigations indicate that the fire may have been sparked by a convoy operated by Mobicom, a Mongolian telecommunications company with Japanese investment.

The Numrug Strictly Protected Area is one of eastern Mongolia's best-preserved natural ecosystems and provides habitat for a wide range of wildlife, including endangered and rare species.

The ministry said in a statement that 468,965.7 hectares of the total area affected by the fire fell within the strictly protected area. This means that 79.8 percent of the protected area was affected by the blaze.

The environmental damage, the ministry said, should be assessed not merely in terms of the area burned but also through a comprehensive evaluation of the fire's impacts on soil, water, air, vegetation, wildlife, habitats of rare and endangered plant species, and ecosystem functions, as well as its long-term ecological consequences.

A working group tasked with assessing the damage to the Numrug Strictly Protected Area is currently conducting fieldwork in the affected area.

The group is expected to assess the ecological and property damage caused by the fire, the costs of firefighting efforts, the ecosystem's capacity for recovery, and the protection and restoration measures required. It is also expected to compile and document relevant evidence and information before preparing its findings.