Fire breaks out in Gorakhnath Community Forest
Due to the fire being detected during the night, it was not possible to control it immediately.
KATHMANDU: A fire broke out in Gorakhnath Community Forest, located in the southern region of Bethanchok Municipality-3, Boldesth, on Sunday night. The fire started around 11:00 PM, and efforts to control it have been ongoing since early morning today.
According to Kuwar Dhakal, the Ward Chair of Bethanchok Municipality-3, the fire has been reported to be approximately one kilometer away from the nearest settlement. However, the nearby drinking water project in Thalidanda and Harkabhanyang is at risk. He further mentioned that if the fire spreads towards the Devre region, it could pose a serious threat to the local community.
Due to the fire being detected during the night, it was not possible to control it immediately. Therefore, a combined effort of the police, local representatives, forest user committee officials, and residents has been underway from this morning to manage the situation. As of now, no human or animal casualties have been reported.
In an earlier incident, during the first week of Magh, a fire broke out in the Mahabharat Mountain range in the Khani Khola Municipality-1, specifically in the Thamlekhdanda area, which was brought under control four days later with the help of a helicopter.
The fire, which started in Thamlekhdanda, spread across the borders of Bethanchok Municipality-5, 3, 1, and 2. Despite mobilizing personnel from the Nepal Army, Armed Police, and other concerned agencies, control efforts were unsuccessful. As a result, a helicopter was requested through the Ministry of Home Affairs, which assisted in containing the fire.
