Apr 23, Kathmandu- A severe fire broke out in Salleri Community Forest of Bareng Rural Municipality-2 in Baglung on 9 Falgun. The fire was brought under control after two days due to the activities of the villagers and the police. Before that, there was no fire in any forest of the district.

Since then, a dozen forests of Galkot municipality have been on fire. A week later, the fire was brought under control. After that, more than two dozen forests of Tarakhola, Dhorpatan and Nisikhola Rural Municipality have already caught fire. As the fire continues day by day, many forests have been cleared. Wild animals have become scattered due to fire.

There has been no loss of life due to the fire so far. About a dozen sheds and livestock sheds were burnt, according to the Division Forest Office, Baglung. Laxmi KC, Information Officer of Division Forest Office, Baglung, informed that 38 community forests have been burnt since Falgun.

According to him, the fire in Nisikhola rural municipality and Dhorpatan municipality is still out of control. According to KC, locals have been deployed along with the staff to control the fire. He informed that the fire in 15 community forests is now out of control.

KC says that so far more than 1,200 hectares of forest has been on fire. "Many forest fires have occurred due to the negligence of citizens, we will conduct public awareness programs to prevent fires and to make the citizens aware, we are spreading information through various media, we have taken some people who set fire to the forest under control and have taken the action forward, the fire has caused damage to the forest spread over a large area,'' he said.

The fire that has been raging in Nisikhola Rural Municipality-2 for four days now has not been brought under control. The fire that started from Upallobengri has spread to Barah Community Forest of Badachour through Majhapakh of Ward No. 4.

Tikanidhi Paudel, Chairman of Nisikhola Rural Municipality-4, said that the fire could not be brought under control due to the wind. He said that even though the villagers tried to control the fire, they failed. President Paudel says that the fire that started from Shanti Community Forest of Ward No. 2 has spread to a very large area.

Ram Bahadur Gharti, a resident, said that even though a large number of people from the village went to the local forest to control the fire, they were unable to control it due to the strong winds. He said that since Friday evening, they have been trying to put out the fire with apples.

Gharti says that when there was a fire in the forest far away from the road, even fire engines could not be used. He said that they stayed awake all night and got the fire under control.