By Nayak Paudel
Kathmandu, April 1: The Ministry of Home is holding a high-level meeting on Friday to thrash out measures to tackle the problem of wildfires and other disasters. Hundreds of wildfires raging across the country is blamed for causing thick blanket of haze lately and sending pollution levels higher.
Government secretaries and senior security officers will be participating in the meeting.
A total of 2,713 wildfire incidents -- higher than ever before -- have been reported across 73 districts of the country in the recent days. To put into perspective, the number is higher than that of last five years combined.
According to the data provided by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) under the Home Ministry, the cause for such dramatic increase is the availability of fuel load, which includes dried grasses and dead wooden branches of trees, in the forest and lack of rainfall.
Only 188 wildfire incidents were recorded across the country in 2019/20; 829 in 2018/19; 617 in 2017/18; 324 in 2016/17 and 929 in 2015/16. “Last year, there were less forest fire incidents. That added up the fuel load to this year’s fire. Due to a huge amount of fuel load in the forests, the fire spreads easily,” said Anil Pokhrel, chief executive officer at NDRRMA. “Drought, wind and lack of rain have significantly contributed to wildfire incidents,” said Pokhrel.
In Nepal, the wildfire season starts in months of November or December and continues until monsoon arrives, usually on June 10. In Nepal, wildfire cases peak in the last week of April, but we are already witnessing alarming number of wildfire. So, more fire incidents may occur in coming days, said Pokhrel.
According to Nepal Forest Fire Management Chapter, 524 cases of wildfires were reported from across the country for two straight days: March 25-26.
The smoke emitted by forest fires has adversely affected the environment, prompting the government to close the educational institutions until Friday.
Similarly, concerned authorities have been facing difficulties in controlling the forest fires as they lack required resources, equipment, manpower and expertise.
“Forest fires require good equipment and manpower to bring it under control. It also risks spreading to city areas. Locals, security agencies and different organisations have been coordinating with us in dousing forest fires with the available resources,” said Brigadier General Shantosh
Ballave Poudyal, spokesperson of the Nepali Army.