Bini Dahal

With each passing year, natural disasters seem to have become a part and parcel of our lives. Be it flood, landslide, earthquake or forest fire, we have gotten used to them. But while we have adapted to such recurring devastations, our ability to overcome them is zero to none. And this is especially a major concern in developing nations like Nepal. Despite being small in terms of area and population, the country is undoubtedly well-known worldwide for her unique and rich biodiversity.
A couple of days ago, a massive forest fire broke out in the Pathivara Simbu community forest of Phungling Municipality-12 in Taplejung district. The area where the fire broke out is three kilometres away from human settlements and it lies beneath the hilltop where the very popular Pathivara temple is located. The inferno has emerged as a big problem when it started flaring and spreading towards the temple.
However, the forest fire that spread to the temple area was put into control with special equipment known as the “Bambi bucket” installed in a helicopter belonging to Simrik Air. By using the equipment, the helicopter lifted water from a local pond and made five trips to the mountain. Thankfully, this effort was successful in protecting the religiously important temple from the outraging flames. Yet, the forest fire is still in full force and has already reached the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA).
As reported by media, a large number of important medicinal plants have turned into ashes due to the forest fire. But it is a matter of happiness that no dead animals have so far been found in the area. The community forest is home to one of the most endangered species in the world, Red Panda, which is known as Habre in Nepali. Till date, the forest fire has caused a loss of habitat for the wildlife species and damaged some 400-metres stretch of the piped water. The locals of Mathillo Phedi, the upper hill, have been facing a scarcity of drinking water lately. Likewise, many cowsheds have been also been destroyed.
Nepal’s unrivalled and abundant biological diversity is in dire need of protection. And situation like that of the forest fire as seen in the Pathivara area needs to be controlled in some way possible. This kind of natural disaster does not just sweep hundreds of thousands of floral and faunal species but also create extensive pressure on the survival of human beings residing nearby. As most people derive ways of daily livelihood through the forest areas, a forest fire can strip them off of their way of earning.
Therefore, we need to be prepared to deal with such disasters. While the locals are fully equipped with traditional knowledge and practice of natural resource management, what they lack is well equipped modern technologies. These technologies like that of Bambi bucket should be kept handy by the local population and the local government. In this way, such an adversity can be mitigated to the most extent. All the stakeholders, including the locals, security forces and local governments, must learn something from the Pathivara forest fire and step up measures to contain such disasters.