Forest fire in more than four dozen places

Because of the long drought since last seven months through the country the sources of water have been drying up and the forest firing has been is uncontrollably increasing at the present. Especially, the fire incidents in the human villages and in the national and community forests and even into the national parks and conservation areas has become the matter of great threat. Due to the house and forest fire four children and an elderly have been killed and many others were injured within this week.

Huge forest fire in Chitwan, Lamtang, Makalu Barun, Shivapuri, Bardia national park and different other places have been taken as the most destructive one of this century. More than 40% of the jungle in the country has been affected by the fire this year.

Two children of a family were killed and two injured when fire caught a cowshed in Jhyaku VDC of Dolakha on 14th March. The deceased are kids of Sangmima Sherpa of Jhyaku-2. Three-year-old Yangmu Sherpa and one-and-a-half year old Phurwa Sherpa were burnt alive in the fire. Their sister six-year-old Lakpa Yangji and mother Syadoma (25) were injured while trying to rescue the kids. They are being treated in Tribeni Medical in Singuti.

Similarly, Chhatra Kumari Ghimire (67) of Bigu VDC-2 of Dolakha district was killed when fire engulfed her house on 16th March. There were 12 persons inside the house when the fire broke out. The police said property worth Rs one million was destroyed by the fire

In Udayapur, a minor was burnt to death while three others sustained injuries in a wildfire that spread in Chilaune VDC of the district on March 17. Rajan Khadka, 11, of ward-3, who had gone to nearby forest to fetch fodder, died after he was caught in wildfire. Pabitra Khadka, 15, Manoj Rai, 13, and Dhiraj Rai, 7, were those injured in the incident, police said. In a similar incident on Feb. 28, five persons, four of a single family, were killed in a wildfire at a community forest at Goganpaani of Kuhu VDC-8 in Myagdi district.

Similarly in Nawalparasi, a six-year-old girl died when a house caught fire here at Bhatauliya of Jahada Village Development Committee Ward No. 3 on Wednesday afternoon. The police identified the deceased as Aarati, daughter of Prem Harijan of the VDC. The fire broke out in the house of Binod Pasi and soon spread to Harijan's house. Clothes, foodstuff and other goods were reduced to cinders.

Sindhupalchok: Separate teams of security personnel of Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police have been mobilized since 13th March night in order to protect local Liping Monastery and settlements in Liping Bazaar after a wildfire that broke out in the forest areas gradually began spreading to nearby settlements. Chinese security personnel from neighbouring Khasa Bazaar are also being deployed in large numbers for dousing the fire. According to police, the fire was advancing towards Tatopani Bazaar of Nepal and Khasa Bazaar of China. Forests covering hundreds of hectares of land have been destroyed in the fire. In A similar incident within the past few days, large swathes of forests in Langtang National Park in Rasuwa district have been damaged by fire. Police said teams of security personnel returned to the district headquarters Dhunche after their attempts to put out the fire in the park were unsuccessful. A fire that broke out yesterday in the Langtang National Park has destroyed hundreds of hectares of forest in the protected area.

According to park officials, forests in Haku, Dhunche, Syafru, Khopang, Yarsha and other areas have been completely destroyed by the wildfire. Park staffers, police and army personnel have been trying to bring the fire under control, according to Bed Khadka, assistant warden of the park. However, the effort not yielded yet due to strong wind,” Khadka said, adding that the fire was out of control.

He also said the fire had destroyed several species of endangered flora and fauna in the protected area lying at the border of Nuwakot, Rasuwa and Sindhupalchowk districts. “We cannot estimate the loss yet,” Khadka added.

Kaski: Wildfire at Seudipakha of Kahu VDC in Kaski district that was doused by the locals and security personnel on 13th March night has restarted on next morning. The fire has spread into the nearby community forests and advancing toward human settlements. Locals said many birds and animals in the forests were killed in the fire. Until Saturday afternoon, the fire had not come under control. Wildfires at Bhalam, Armala, Dhampus and Sarangkot in the district were controlled by the locals and security personnel. Meanwhile, wildfire at Bandre community forest at Fedikhola VDC-1 in Syangja district since past three days has not come under control.

Taplejung: A violent wildfire that started in a community forest at Sablakhu VDC in Taplejung district last week continued to spread to more areas. The authorities have not taken any initiatives to contain the flames yet. Locals fear that hundreds of birds and animals in the forest have been burnt alive. Now, the blaze is advancing toward human settlements, but the authorities so far have not begun any moves to contain the raging fire.

Another wildfire inside Kanchanjunga Conservation Area raging since the past four days has also not come under control. Police and locals from nearby Yamphudin VDC-9 are making a bid to contain the fire from spreading further, but to no avail. The conservation area that spreads over 2000 sq. km is home to rare flora, birds and animals, including the endangered red panda. Smoke emitted from the forest has stifled the nearby settlements, police said.

Sankhuwasabha: The wildfire in Makalu Barun National Park in Makalu Village Development Committee in the eastern hilly district of Sankhuwasabha, which broke out 10 days ago, is yet to be brought under control. The park officials said that the raging fire already destroyed over 1,000 hectares of forests, grass lands and other cardamom farms of locals. Police said that they could not deploy policemen for dousing the fire as it was a very remote and far-flung area.

Similarly, more than 80 yaks were killed in a wildfire at Pawakhola VDC-7 in Sankhuwasabha on 19th March. An unidentified cattle herder also went missing in the wildfire that started from Jumlingkharka area. Meanwhile, the wildfire that spread at Makalu VDC 13 days ago has not come under control yet. The fire has destroyed over 1,000 hectares of forestland. In another incident, a fire that started at Tinjure, Milkey and Jaljale three days ago has not been contained. Seven persons were hurt while trying to douse the wildfire at Pakani forest of Goganey-9. The blaze destroyed a five-km-long water pipeline.

Myagdi: Rare herbs worth millions of rupees have been destroyed after a massive fire broke out in Bhurung Tatopani, Begm Chimkhola and Kuinemangale in Myagdi sudtrict. The fire that broke out some four days is yet to be controlled. The fire had destroyed hundreds of hectares of jungle so far, destroying over 40 kinds of herbd that were abundantly found in the jungle, locals said.

Many wild animals have also been believed to have been killed in the forest fire. A local, Padam Chhantyal, said the effort to douse the fire has not yielded anything so far. Meanwhile, the fire that broke out in a jungle bordering Myagdi and Kaski, that lise on the Annapurna circuit trekking route, has also not been controlled for three days. Police and locals have been trying to douse the fire.

Dhankuta: Ten houses were destroyed when fire broke out in Dharapani of Bhedetar VDC-2 of Dhankuta on 15th March.

The houses of Arjun Rai, Rakam Rai, Bishwo Rai, Bhim Bahadur Rai, Gunaraj Rai and Sarbajeet Rai were gutted. Police from Bhedetar and locals controlled the fire after five hours. Nepal Red Cross Society’s Dhankuta and Bhedetar branches are involved in relief operation for the victims. The fire has left over 24 person homeless.

Dolakha: Residents of Gairi village in Jugu VDC ward-4 in the district performed a unique marriage of frogs to appease “rain gods” to end the spectre of drought on March 16. The marriage ceremony, which was conducted as per the Hindu rituals at local Negeshwori Kalikasthan Temple, was attended by hundreds of locals.

For the purpose, locals had brought a “groom frog” from Siple stream while the “bride” was brought to the marriage ceremony from Chukepani stream. Later, the two amphibian couple, donning marriage capes, was held on a plate for a ceremony as prayers were recited to bind them in matrimony. In order to perform the wedding rituals, locals had garnered help from seven priests.

According to one Bishnu Prasad Neupane, each family in the locality also chipped in Rs. 20 in order to organize the feast after the marriage ceremony. He also recalled that they were showered with rainfall after performing similar rituals some five years ago. After the day-long rituals and festivities, the “newly wed-couple” were let go in a nearby stream, with the hope that “they might communicate to the rain god about the locals' plight resulting from the drought”.

“Following the rituals, there was a strong gale followed by a brief drizzle,” informed Urmila Thami, a local school teacher. However, there has not been sufficient rain so as to ease the local farmers' plight.

The country is reeling under a drought this winter, which has raised the spectre of a disastrous drought and possible famine in most of the hilly districts relying on rainfall for cultivation.

Bhaktapur: At least four persons were injured in a fire that broke out in Keshav Prasad Nakarmi’s house at Bachutole, Bhaktapur Municipality-6, on 18th March. According to Metropolitan Police Sector, Bhaktapur, the three-storied traditionally built old house was gutted after fire caught petrol kept inside the house.

Saptari: With an increase in dry season and wind the incidents of blaze have gone up in the Saptari. Millions of properties have been damaged within a week in different six VDCs of the district.

Similarly, fire has destroyed the huge amount of properties last night in Dalit settlement of Babadhu-2. Police said some one and half dozen of houses have gutted and property estimated of Rs 500,000 has completely destroyed by the flame. The fire was brought into control by the joint efforts of the police, locals and fire brigade at around 10 pm, after two hours of the blazes.

Likewise, police have said fire has caused huge loss in Barmajhiya-9 of the district. About 79 quintiles rice and a library has been completely burnt and destroyed.

Source: nepaldisaster.org