Fire control squad formed to tackle forest fires in Banke

By Siraj Khan,Nepalgunj, Mar. 20: To prevent the heavy losses caused by forest fires every year, a special “fire control squad” has been formed in Banke district this season.

The Division Forest Office, Banke, has set up a 24-member fire control team, according to Senior Forest Officer and Information Officer Tanka Gurung.

He said the team was formed after identifying areas most prone to forest fires. Of the total, 12 personnel have been deployed in the Shamsherganj area and 12 in the Bhuvar Bhawani block forest under the Sikta Sub-Division Forest Office. Gurung said that, in coordination with the Federation of Forest Users, awareness programmes and other activities have also been launched to prevent forest fires. A fire engine with a capacity of 6,000 litres of water has been kept on standby.

“We are fully prepared to control forest fires with the resources available to us,” Gurung said.

He added that the squad will be mobilised for fire control and rescue operations in case of incidents. In previous years, forest fires in Banke have killed a large number of wildlife.

Chief of the Division Forest Office, Shankar Prasad Gupta, said that ‘fire watchers’ have been appointed for four years to help prevent outbreaks. Teams of six fire watchers each have been deployed in forests under the Shamsherganj and Sikta sub-divisions.

According to him, the fire watchers are responsible for clearing and maintaining fire lines. The district currently has 100 kilometres of fire lines, which have now been extended to 120 kilometres.

Similarly, an overhead water tank with a capacity of 20,000 litres has been constructed in Shamsherganj at a cost of Rs. 2.5 million, which is expected to support fire control efforts.

Meanwhile, our Tanahun correspondent Amar Raj Naharki reported that a special campaign has been launched in Tanahun to prevent and reduce fire incidents.

The Division Forest Office, Tanahun, has started a week-long awareness campaign under the slogan: “Effective Forest Fire Management: Participation of All Three Levels of Government and the Community.”

Chief of the office, Manoj Ranabhat, said most forest areas are at high risk due to dry weather and strong winds, prompting the district-wide campaign.

As part of the campaign, a rapid response team comprising security personnel and forest staff has been mobilised under the leadership of the District Disaster Management Committee.

The office has kept specialised pump sets with capacities of 4,200 litres and 1,000 litres ready for fire control. Efforts have been increased to make community, leasehold and private forests safer by removing flammable materials near settlements, creating fire lines, and distributing awareness materials.

Coordination has been carried out with Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, Nepal Army, the Red Cross and local forest user groups.

On the first day of the campaign, a practical demonstration was conducted at Bagbhanjyang Community Forest in Byas Municipality-4, where fire control equipment was also handed over. 

The handover was jointly carried out by Mayor Baikuntha Neupane, Assistant Chief District Officer Dipak Regmi and Forest Officer Ranabhat.

During the event, demonstrations on fire line maintenance and controlled burning techniques were conducted, and locals were trained to respond quickly in case of forest fires.

Considering the high-risk period from March to June, the government observes Forest Fire Management Week from March 15 to 22 each year.

As part of the awareness week, a rally was organised from Tharpu to Jamune in Myagde Rural Municipality-4.