Forest Fire Management Week begins today

Kathmandu, March 15: The Forest Fire Management Week has begun today under the theme 'Effectiveness in Forest Fire Control: Participation of All Three Levels of Government and Community'. 

The Ministry of Forest and Environment has been observing Forest Fire Management Week from the month of Chait 1 to 7 in the lunar calendar every year as per the Forest Fire Management Strategy, 2067 BS.

The week is being observed by organizing various programs to increase public awareness for reducing and controlling forest fires. 

In an appeal on the occasion, Minister for Forest and Environment Madhav Prasad Chaulagain has said that increasing public awareness is very important for reducing and controlling forest fires and has requested all Division Forest Offices, Forest User Groups, Development and Conservation Partner Organizations and concerned stakeholders to conduct various awareness-raising programs in their respective areas of work during the week.

According to the ministry, public awareness programs, community and school-level orientation, publicity campaigns, information dissemination through local media, monitoring of risk areas, construction of fire lines in forest areas, sanitation and other appropriate fire management activities will be conducted during the week.

Director General of the Department of Forest and Soil Conservation Dhirendra Kumar Pradhan said that the risk of wild fire is particularly high in the Sudurpaschim, Bagmati and Karnali provinces. He shared that the geographical distribution of wild fires indicates that the risk is high in the Tarai-Chure and mid-hill forest areas.

The risk of wild fire in the forest areas is high with the onset of the dry season in Nepal, especially from the month of Falgun to Jestha in the lunar calendar. (RSS)