TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A raging wildfire has consumed approximately 40 hectares (nearly 100 acres) of wilderness in one of Taiwan's most popular national recreation areas, officials revealed Monday (April 14). Officials from the Taipei City Fire Department (北市消防局) warned that unusually dry conditions and powerful gusting winds have accelerated the blaze across steep terrain on Mt. Qixing (七星山) in Yangmingshan (陽明山), a mountainous area on the capital city's northern edge.
Fire Department Commissioner Morris Mo (莫懷祖) described the challenging topography hampering containment efforts, with emergency crews struggling to access a critical saddle formation where heat intensifies. The fire is moving faster than a person can climb the mountain, Mo explained, underscoring the blaze's alarming velocity. Authorities have formed a joint operation with the Yangmingshan Administrative Bureau (陽明山管理局), utilizing drone technology to assess the fire's scope while strategically placing water supply lines near accessible perimeters.
The emergency response came under scrutiny during Monday afternoon's city council proceedings when Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) Taipei City Councilor Lin Hsing-erh (林杏兒), a member of Taiwan's main opposition party, pressed officials about evacuation and containment strategies. Commissioner Mo highlighted the urgent priority of establishing defensive lines to shield populated areas from the advancing flames. He expressed particular concern about a vulnerable parking area where accumulated bamboo debris and litter could accelerate the fire's spread toward residential neighborhoods. ★