GAIGHAT: A forest fire in the forests of Haniya and Jogidaha area in Udayapur district is burning out of control even after three days, destroying a large quantity of herbs and wildlife in the area.

The raging fire that has engulfed the community forests in the Mahabharat range and Deurali community forest has also posed a threat to the human settlements there, Tejendra Chaudhary, a resident of Debdhar in Hadiya VDC said.

As many as 500 houses in Phuljor area are at risk of fire as the fire has already spread in the area of 10 kilometres.

However, the District Forest Office, Udayapur, has taken no step so far to bring the fire under control.

The local residents said that they came to know about the forest fire two days after it broke out. The Office said that the forest fire could have occurred from the butts that locals threw in the forest while herding the cattle.