Fear of forest fires high as dry season begins

By Janarjan Khatri,Sarlahi, Mar. 8: With the onset of dry season, residents living in the Chure region of Sarlahi and neighbouring districts have started fearing forest fires.

During the dry and windy months, massive forest fires frequently break out in the Chure forests of Madhes districts such as Sarlahi, Mahottari, Rautahat, Bara and Parsa. 

According to locals, fires also occur every year in government and community forests along the East-West Highway as well as in the forests under the Sagarnath Forest Development Project.

Rajan Pokharel of Lalbandi Municipality-6 said that small forest fires have already begun to appear in nearby forests in recent days. Fires usually break out in the forests during the period when dry leaves from trees and plants accumulate on the ground, he added.

While travelling along the Naya Road-Barahathwa road section and the East-West Highway, forest fires can be seen in the Sagarnath Forest Development Project area and in several partnership forests.

As in previous years, the season of forest fires has begun this year as well, but authority has not taken any initiative for prevention so far, said Ashta Bahadur Lama of Hirapur in Lalbandi Municipality-11.

The Division Forest Office in Sarlahi, however, said local residents also need to be more aware to prevent forest fires in local forests.

Santosh Jha, Chief of the Division Forest Office, Sarlahi, said that setting fires in forests could also put nearby human settlements at risk, and urged people to remain alert. 

He said the office deploys fire control personnel every year and provides orientation training to members of forest user committees to protect forests and wildlife from fires.

Jha added that preparations and awareness activities for controlling forest fires have already begun this year as well.