More wildfires expected as mercury rises

Kathmandu, February 9

With the onset of summer, incidents of wildfires are being reported from across the country.

According to UNISDR-Regional South Asia Wildland Fire Network, as many as 14 incidents of wildfire had been reported from across the country today.

“Only a few incidents of wildfire have been reported in the last week, but with the rise in temperature, incidents of forest fire will increase gradually,” said Coordinator of UNISDR-Regional South Asia Wildland Fire Network Sundar Sharma.

Wildfires destroy thousands of hectares of forest in Nepal annually.

“As temperatures rise, incidents of wildfires will also increase,” said Sharma, adding that normally most number of incidents of wildfire are reported on the fourth week of April every year.

Wildfires are normally reported in Nepal from mid-February to May in Nepal. On April 25, 2009, as many as 420 incidents of wildfires were recorded in a single day, the highest incidents of wildfire recorded in a single day in the country.

With the onset of windy season which usually begins as early as February and lasts until June, various places across the country, especially in Tarai, have witnessed a rise in temperatures.

Sharma said since 2009, the government has come up with some positive interventions to address the growing threat of wildfires in forests and communities.

The Nepali government has formulated the Forest Policy this year to minimise the risks and prepare communities against wildfires.

In 2010, the government endorsed the Forest Fire Management Strategy, which focuses on involving local communities in mitigating the risks related with forest fires.