Hundreds of thousands of hectares of forests across the country have been gutted in the last one week, with over 350 forest fire incidents recorded everyday during the last one week from several places in the country.
Regional South Asia Wild Land Fire Network Foundation, which monitors wildfires in the South Asia region, said that 457 incidents of forest fires were recorded on Sunday in Nepal.
"Over 350 forest fire incidents have been recorded every day on an average for the last one week," Sundar Sharma, the foundation's coordinator, said. He, however, said that the foundation has yet to ascertain the exact areas were forest fires have occurred this year.
He said that the fires destroy not only forests but also entire ecology, wildlife and rare herbs. So far this year, the fires have claimed one child, injured half a dozen people and gutted over five dozen homes.
Sharma has asked concerned authorities to bar people from entering forests for the next two weeks, a period with high possibilities of forest fires.
"Next two weeks is the peak time for forest fires in Nepal. I request the concerned authorities to declare high alert and prevent people from entering the forests," said Sharma.
In 2009, 59 people, including some Nepal Army personnel, who were deployed to douse fire, were killed. Several studies conducted by the government as well as non government sector have shown human negligence as the main cause behind the forest fires.
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