KATHMANDU: With the increase in minimum temperature in the recent period, incidents of forest fire have increased all of sudden.

Forest fires had taken place at 379 places in 17 districts across the country on Wednesday alone.

Control and management of forest fires are becoming challenging due to increasing temperatures, unfavorable weather, the presence of flammable materials in forests and territorial difficulties.

According to the Department of Forests and Soil Conservation, 379 incidents of forest fire in one day is the highest number of this year.

Smoke due to forest fires has covered the sky across the country and people have started facing problems due to air pollution following forest fires.

Forest fire takes place mainly from January to May in the country. As per the record of the Department, forest fires had taken place at 112 places in 26 districts on April 14, 28 places of eight districts on April 15, 32 places in 12 districts on April 16, 64 places of 10 districts on April 17 and 180 places of 33 districts on April 18.

Forest fires mostly take place, especially in the districts of Tarai and the Inner Tarai region of the country, said Govinda Kumar Shrestha, Assistant Forest Officer at the Department’s Information Desk.

He said wildfire incidents have been reported more from Dang, Chitwan, Arghakhanchi, Pyuthan and Surkhet, among the districts in recent days.

According to him, of the forest fires seen in recent days the so-called ‘crown wildfire’ is seen in Sindhuli and Ramechhap only while that seen in other places is the surface wildfire.

The Department said more wildfire incidents have occurred as there was only scanty rainfall during the winter this year.

It is said most forest fire incidents result from human activities. Locals knowingly start forest fires in the hope that grass would grow and flourish.

Although forest fire is a good way of forest management, it should be done in a controlled manner, according to knowledgeable people in the forestry sector.

Deputy Director of the Department Nawaraj Pudasaini said bushfires take place due to the fire lit for cooking by picnickers and the burning cigarette butts left by shepherds and people coming into the forest to collect animal fodder or other forest products.

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