About 15 percent of Far-west forest area affected by fire, control in Chure region remains challenging

Kanchanpur: The incidence of forest fires has been increasing in the forest areas of Sudurpaschim Province, with around 15 percent of the forest area already affected so far. According to Hemraj Bista, Director of the Provincial Forest Directorate, the impact of forest fires has been particularly severe in the Chure region, directly affecting forest conservation, biodiversity, and the livelihoods of local communities.

Director Bista said that forest fires in the Chure region are more severe than in the plains. He noted that while fires in the plains can be controlled relatively easily with the active participation of community forest user groups and forest employees, the geographical remoteness of the Chure region has become a major challenge.

“The Chure region is steep, remote, and lacks a road network. Reaching fire-affected areas is risky, and some places cannot be accessed at all,” he said. “On top of that, the lack of modern machinery and equipment has made control even more difficult.”

He added that forest guards and employees often have to reach fire sites on foot, making fire control highly challenging and increasing the risk of small fires turning into larger ones.

According to him, human activities remain the main cause of forest fires. Local herders set fires expecting rapid growth of green grass, while mushroom pickers, burning of wheat stalks in fields, and fires set during drain cleaning often spread into forest areas, leading to larger incidents.

Natural causes and climate change have also increased the risk. Due to the effects of El Nino, rising temperatures reduce humidity in forest areas and increase dryness, further raising the likelihood of fires. Its impact has also been observed in forest areas of the Far West.

“El Nino is a climate system in which the surface temperature of the Pacific Ocean rises abnormally, causing temperature increases, changes in rainfall patterns, and drought conditions,” said Forest Director Bista. “In such conditions, forests become extremely dry, so even a small negligence can trigger a major fire.” He added, “As temperatures rise, the risk and damage from fires also increase.”

Forest fires have destroyed wildlife habitats and caused significant damage to forest resources including herbs, grass, and timber, adversely affecting the daily lives and incomes of forest-dependent communities.

Meanwhile, the situation in Shuklaphanta National Park is relatively under control compared to previous years. According to Assistant Chief Conservation Officer Binay Kumar Jha, the number of fire incidents inside the park has decreased this year.

The park administration has prioritized fire control preparedness. However, stakeholders say the risk is increasing in community forest areas. According to Mahesh Dutta Joshi, Chairman of the Community Forest Coordination Committee, Kanchanpur, forest conservation efforts have been affected as community forest officials and users have been protesting for several days, demanding immediate implementation of sustainable forest management procedures.