MANDAQ — A massive fire broke out in a bush area in the mountainous village of Al-Hakam in Al-Baha province Monday. Deputy spokesman of Al-Baha Civil Defense Lt. Col. Abdullah Al-Thabyah said Civil Defense firefighters battled for three hours to control the blaze, which covered a 1,500 square-meter area. He said strong winds fanned the fire and it spread quickly. Al-Thabyah said there was no loss of human or animal life and the damage was limited to trees and bushes. An investigation is underway to detemine the cause of the fire. Preliminary findings point to picnickers who lit a camp fire and neglected to put it out before leaving the area, he said.
