Last year there were more than 400 fires and fires in Palpa, this year special preparations have been started for prevention. Narayandev Bhattarai, Head of Division Forest Office, Palpa, said that the fire prevention works are being carried out as the wind has started to blow as the dry season has not rained for a long time.
He said that 39 out of 81 wards of 10 local levels are at high risk of forest fires. "Since the dry season seems to be longer this year, awareness campaigns have to be started," he said, "therefore, control and prevention should be done by conducting special campaigns."
96% of forest fires in the district are human-caused. 64 percent knowingly and 32 percent due to deliberate action. Office head Bhattarai said that 26 wards are at medium risk and 16 wards are at low risk.
Division Forest Office Arghakhanchi has said that a campaign has been conducted to reduce the environmental and human damage caused by the fire. As part of the campaign, the police are working to remove flammable materials near the settlements, draw fire lines, remove apples kept near houses, distribute public awareness materials and manage dried leaves.
He said that a team including security personnel and forest personnel will be mobilized in interaction with the district's community forest user committee, employees and concerned agencies and the community. He said that the office will provide information through the media to make the citizens aware, interaction, discussion and public awareness programs will also be conducted. The program will be conducted by keeping people's representatives and stakeholders at the district level and local forest level.
According to the division forest office, the community forest and private awadi forest are at high risk of fire in most places of the district, said Tankanath Khanal, head of the district coordination committee He said that since Palpa is also at high risk of fire, it is necessary for everyone to be aware to protect the forest from fire.
Chief District Officer Toynarayan Subedi said that there are data showing that the wildfires are causing damage to human resources, forests, biological diversity and ecological systems. He said that campaigns should be conducted in cooperation with consumers, forest watchers and forest consumers' committee, security personnel in prevention. Prazia Subedi said that early awareness campaigns will help to identify more potential forests that are at high risk of fire. Three different mechanisms will work under the
campaign. For the prevention and mitigation of fire incidents, the work has progressed with the mobilization and direction of the security agencies under the leadership of the District Disaster Committee. The Division Forest Office has also started an awareness campaign for students, civil society, teachers, users of community forests and intellectuals about forest fires.
Fires have started in the forest area during the summer . Although public awareness programs have been conducted, the awareness campaign has been extended to the village level as fires have started in Chure, Mahabharat and Shivalik areas. Last year, there were human losses due to fires in different places of the district.
Even while raising awareness, Chure, Mahabharata Shivalik and national buildings have been tormented by fires. More fire will occur in Mityal, Jamire, Wahadurpur, Rahwas, Gothadi, Dobhan, Koldada, Masyam, Kachal, Satyavati and other places of the district.
Khil Bahadur Tamang, Information Officer of the Division Forest Office, said that an awareness program will be held in the villages. When cigarette butts are thrown randomly, people who have gone to the forest party and leave the fire unextinguished, there are fires.
