Massive forest fires cause damage to several settlements, leads air pollution

Nepal witnessed several destructive fire incidents this dry season which continues till Monday. Almost all forests were in fire until it rained on Monday. Many of the settlements located near the forests turned into ashes after the wildfires caught the settlements as in Roshi Rural Municipality of Kavre. Even in Lalitpur, two men lost life to the wild fire. From Ilam in the east to Dadeldhura in the west saw forest fires with more damages and human casualties in Bagmati and Gandaki. Likewise, several settlements in Madhes turned into ashes this dry season because of massive fire incidents. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), human casualties were occurring due to inadequate preparedness and failure to exercise caution while engaging in fire control without necessary precautions. The fire outbreaks were recorded in 426 locations affecting 53 districts.

In a week from April 28 to May 5, three persons were killed and 16 sustained injuries in a total of just 259 household fire incidents. In the incidents, 176 livestock were also killed. Similarly, in the same week, seven died and 20 persons got injured in 478 forest fires. Forest fires claimed four lives and three died in other normal fire incidents in the last week.

Likewise, in the last one month from April 5 to May 5, 35 persons were killed and 93 persons were injured in 1,597 forest and household fire incidents. Of them, 13 died in forest fires and 22 in household fires, according to NDRRMA.