KATHMANDU, MARCH 16 Wildfire is back with a blaze again as the season of it has started. However, this is not a strange phenomenon that happens rarely in Nepal. It is a story every year. Dr Bhupendra Das, an environmentalist who has been studying wildfires in Nepal for over a decade, stated that wildfires are one of the primary causes of the recent air pollution in Kathmandu and that the event is a recurring story each year. Citing his research, he stated that 2021 was the peak time for forest fires, accounting for over 60,000 wildfires across the country. 'The majority of the events occurred in April, accounting for 30 to 40 per cent of all wildfires. It results in various damages as well as emissions,' he told THT. Up until last week, IQAir consistently listed the Kathmandu Valley as one of the world's most polluted cities. The health ministry advised people to take precautions and stay indoors, considering that the pollution level had got so bad. 'Forest fires and open burning of agricultural waste are the main causes of pollution. Although it is a transient climate pollutant, it is contributing to the melting of glaciers. It also causes shortterm local and regional warming,' Das added. According to Dr Das, there were approximately 18,000 wildfires in 2017, 22,000 in 2018, 31,000 in 2019, 9,000 in 2020, and 60,000 in 2021. 'Over the course of a decade, we recorded over 300,000 forest fires across the country from 2012 to 2021,' he said, citing his research. According to the most recent data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, fires accounted for the greatest number of incidents, with 3,339 fires resulting in 98 deaths. April is the peak month for wildfires due to open burning seasons, lower rainfall, and the majority of the time being dry. 'As a result, even small fires can quickly spread. Even the smallest cause, such as carelessness at the picnic celebration,' said Das. In the meantime, the Forest Fire Management Week began today under the slogan 'Effectiveness in Forest Fire Control: Participation of All Three Levels of Government and Community'. According to the Forest Fire Management Strategy, 2010, the Ministry of Forest and Environment has been observing the 'Forest Fire Management Week' from March 15 to March 21 (Chaitra 1 to 7 every year, according to the lunar calendar). In order to raise public awareness of the need to reduce and control forest fires, a number of programmes are being organised to celebrate the week. Increasing public awareness is crucial for preventing and controlling fires, according to Minister for Forests and Environment Madhav Prasad Chaulagain, who has also asked all divisional forest offices, forest user groups, development and conservation partner organisations, and other relevant stakeholders to hold various awareness-raising events in their respective fields of expertise during this particular week. Public awareness programmes, community and school-level orientation, publicity campaigns, information dissemination through local media, risk area monitoring, building fire lines in forest areas, sanitation and other suitable fire management activities will be carried out throughout the week, according to the ministry. According to Dhirendra Kumar Pradhan, director general of the Department of Forest and Soil Conservation, fires have spread to every province across the nation. He believes that the Sudurpaschim, Bagmati, and Karnali provinces are especially vulnerable to fires. According to the geographic distribution of fires, the Tarai-Chure and mid-hill forest areas are at a high risk, he said. According to him, the risk of forest fires in Nepal increases with the start of the dry season, particularly between March and May. Fires have a significant adverse impact on forest resources, biodiversity, environmental balance, water resources, human health, and human wealth, so the department has stated that effective preparation, coordination, and awareness-raising are required for their prevention and control.