Perilous
Times and Climate Change
Nepal: 217 forest fires rage across nation this year
Added At: 2011-04-24 10:52 PM
HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE
KATHMANDU: The nation witnessed 217 forest fires so far this year,
which is the highest on record for a year.
“The satellite image showed that there were 217 forest fires
across the nation,” said Sundar Prasad Sharma, Coordinator,
UNISDR-Regional South Asia Wildland Fire Network. The data was
retrieved from NASA’s MODIS Satellite, which monitors the global
forest fire incidents.
Generally, forest fires are high between January and April. The
peak month in Nepal is April. “The season was delayed by about two
weeks this year and might extend till the end of May, but the next
few weeks may be disastrous as it’s the peak time,” added Sharma.
The government developed Forest Fire Management Strategy in 2010
after a disaster in 2009 where 13 Nepali Army personnel were
charred to death at Srithandanda jungle in Ramechhpa while dousing
the fire.
The ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation has no rescue plan
in place and it lacks equipment and workforce to tackle the
problem. “It needs huge resources but the ministry has nothing
more than the strategy,” said a official at the ministry.