Fire incidents flare up across country

Kathmandu, Mar. 18: It is predicted that the incidents of fires and forest fires will increase rapidly in the next two months (mid-March to mid-May).

Incidents of fires and forest fires in Nepal from mid-March to mid-May this year will be higher than those recorded last year, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), under the Ministry of Home Affairs. 

"In terms of forest fires and fires, the next couple of months are risky for us," Anil Pokhrel, Chief Executive Officer for the NDRRMA, told The Rising Nepal on Sunday. 

Pokhrel said, "The risk is high in the sense that more fire incidents are likely to happen this year than in the past years, and we still lack the institutional knowledge, skills and capacity to deal with the fire incidents." The first reason is that there have been no large-scale and number of fire incidents in Nepal for the last two years, he said. “Secondly huge piles of dried leaves have been accumulated in forests, and if a fire starts from somewhere, it can take a large form at any time," Pokharel said

Again, the winter rains were not good in Nepal this year, and there is no chance of rain soon which has culminated in the dryness everywhere, CEO Pokhrel said. 

The third reason is the temperature rise. A report published by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology in February stated that the year 2023 was the hottest in nearly four decades. Since 1981, the year 2023 has been ranked eighth in the list of least rainy years.

According to the report, the annual average maximum temperature of Nepal in 2023 was measured at 27.9 degrees Celsius, which is slightly higher than the normal annual maximum temperature. In contrast, the annual average minimum temperature in 2023 was measured at 15.6 degrees Celsius, which is much higher than the normal annual minimum temperature.

"Overall, 2023 was the hottest year since 1981 in Nepal. In some areas, the highest temperature in history was measured," CEO Pokhrel said.  

According to the report, 12 stations across the country have broken the record of the maximum temperature. 

Meteorological stations like Bandipur, Chatara, Chautara, Dharan Bazaar, Dumkauli, Gorkha (Birenchok), Janakpur Airport, Kanyam Tea Estate in Ilam, Okhaldhunga, Rampur, Simra Airport and Siraha broke the record.

The fourth reason is the windy season. The next two months (from mid-March to mid-May) will be unusually windy. 

Fires in houses, sheds and forests spread quickly and far by the wind, he said. 

"Forests and human settlements are connected. It doesn't take long for a fire in a human settlement to spread to a forest and vice-versa. Therefore, the next two months is the time to be very careful," said CEO Pokhrel. 

"If it doesn't rain for a long time and the wind speed increases, the damage can increase and its impact will be big," said Pokhrel.

According to the Bipad Portal of the NDRRMA under the Ministry of Home Affairs, in the last week from March 10 to 17, 168 fire incidents, 70 forest fire incidents, seven animal incidents and one landslide occurred in the country. 

In these 246 incidents, five persons were killed. Likewise, 75 livestock were killed, 83 infrastructures were damaged and 75 persons were injured. Of them, four persons were killed on March 16 alone. On Saturday (March 16) alone, 55 forest fire incidents were recorded in different places of the country, with most of them occurring in eastern Nepal.

According to the record, in the last one week, property worth Rs. 123 million was destroyed by fire.

Fire records of 13 years 

According to the data of the National Emergency Operations Centre under the Ministry of Home Affairs, 25,203 incidents related to fires and forest fires have been recorded in Nepal during the last 12 years and 11 months. Those incidents were recorded from April 14, 2011, to March 10, 2024.

During the period, 1,011 persons lost their lives in fires and forest fires. The Centre's data showed that 3,322 persons were injured in those incidents.

In the last 13 years, 33,168 families have been affected by fires and forest fires. During the period, the fire incidents caused partial damage to 4,739 houses while 19,468 houses were completely damaged along with 7,321 sheds. In the same incidents, 7,753 livestock were burnt to death. 

According to the Centre, fire incidents have caused economic losses worth Rs. 26.71 billion. Every year, on average, financial loss of more than Rs. 2 billion rupees is caused by fire incidents.

Kathmandu most vulnerable

Data from the NEOC Centre showed that Kathmandu is the most vulnerable district in Nepal in terms of fire occurrence.

According to the data of the last 13 years, the highest number of fire incidents have occurred in Kathmandu. The highest number of people died in fire incidents in Kathmandu. The fire incidents caused the most economic damage in Kathmandu.

During the period, 1,698 fire incidents were recorded in Kathmandu. In these incidents, 61 persons lost their lives and the financial loss was Rs. 2.55 billion.

After Kathmandu, Bara, Sunsari, Rupandehi, Morang, Jhapa, Saptari, Solukhumbu, Makwanpur, Parsa, Banke, Udayapur, Siraha and Kaski are the districts that have suffered the most financial loss because of fire incidents.

Incidents in different districts 

Meanwhile, four houses, cowsheds and some cattle have been burnt into ashes in a forest fire that entered human settlement in Khotang on Saturday. According to police inspector Benu Karki, five separate fire incidents occurred in Khotang on Saturday. 

Forest fires broke out from the Salle forest of Ainselukharka Rural Municipality-6, damaging two houses and two cattle sheds, according to ward chairman Sunil Rai. Similarly, another forest fire that broke out on Friday in Dhitung of the district, damaged two houses, three cowsheds and some livestock, according to ward chair Tekraj Rai. Also, a forest fire began in Chautara Community Forest damaging house of Devraj Raya and his cowshed. 

Likewise, a forest fire damaged property worth Rs. 10.3 million in Bhojpur Municipality-12 after the forest fire entered human settlement on Saturday. Seven houses, 10 cowsheds and household goods including food grains were damaged in the district, according to police inspector Dal Bahadur Rai. Three children of the same family were killed in a fire incident of Patlepani of Hatuwagadhi Rural Municipality, Bhojpur on Saturday.  

Meanwhile, in Rangeli Municipality-3 at Babusaheb Tol of Morang, 28 families who were rendered homeless by the fire on Saturday have been living under the open sky.

The victims have complained that despite three levels of governments and dozens of social organisations, no relief arrangements have been made so far. 

However, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and District Administration Office Morang distributed some emergency relief on Saturday evening followed by Nepal Red Cross Society Morang on Sunday morning.

On Saturday afternoon, when the Nepal Electricity Authority's transmission wires collided against each other, a house under the transmission line caught fire. 

The fire that started from the shed of Jangali Murmu spread in the settlement because of the high-speed wind coming from the west. Murmu, 68, said his 880 kg paddy and 720 kg mustard were burnt to ashes in front of his eyes. 

Murmu, who was sitting watching his burnt house on Sunday, said that even though he applied to the electricity office to manage the wires, they did not pay heed to his petition, which resulted in this catastrophe