Wildfire rages across community forests in Sharada Municipality, Salyan
The fire has put the nearby settlements of Kaafli and surrounding areas at risk.
KATHMANDU: A wildfire has been burning for the past three days in the community forests of Chandeshwori, Pateshwari, and Bhuwaneshwari, located in Ward 11 of Sharada Municipality, Salyan.
The fire, which started in the Pateshwari Community Forest, has spread to the Chandeshwori and Bhuvaneshwori forests, causing significant damage.
Nearly 10 hectares of forest have been destroyed, and despite efforts from local residents, the fire remains uncontrolled due to strong winds and the steep, hilly terrain.
The fire has put the nearby settlements of Kaafli and surrounding areas at risk.
The cause of the wildfire is still unclear, but Raju Nepali, the chairperson of the Bhuwaneshwori Community Forest, confirmed that the fire spread from the Pateshwari Community Forest to the Bhuwaneshwori Forest.
While all community forest members have been working tirelessly to extinguish the flames, the difficult terrain and weather conditions have hampered their efforts.
However, they were able to protect the nearby settlements by creating firebreaks to prevent further spread.
Khimalal Budhathoki, the chairperson of the Pateshwari Community Forest, reported that more than 5 hectares of forest area were destroyed, with many large sal trees being burned.
Despite the fire’s devastation, the local villagers, alongside security forces, managed to save their homes.
However, by late Monday evening, the fire reignited and spread to the Bhuvaneshwori Community Forest. The steep slopes and strong winds continue to make it difficult to contain the fire.
Due to a lack of firefighting resources, the villagers have been forced to stay at a distance, using fire-resistant materials like wild apple branches to help control the situation.
The fire has also posed a significant threat to the forests in the area. According to Resham Bahadur Khatri, the District Police Inspector in Salyan, a police team was dispatched to assist in the firefighting efforts, but they have been unable to control the blaze.
He noted that the lack of adequate firefighting materials and the prolonged drought have contributed to the fires, which have been a persistent issue since January. Unfortunately, one person has already lost their life due to the wildfire.
Lalitjung Khadka, the Information Officer at the Division Forest Office in Salyan, mentioned that despite the deployment of forest users, security personnel, and Division Forest staff to the affected areas, the fire continues to be uncontrollable due to the strong winds.
Since the onset of the drought, wildfires have been affecting various community and national forests in the district, causing damage to over 200 hectares of forest and destroying more than 3,000 large trees, including sal and fruit-bearing trees.
Efforts to bring the fire under control continue, but the combination of adverse weather conditions and limited resources has made it challenging to prevent further destruction.
