The atmosphere in Nawalpur district is covered with smoke due to multiple fires at various community forests in the area. Almost all areas in the district are covered with smoke at present due to the forest fires.
The Division forest Office Nawalpur's information officer Shiva Shrestha said the fire has spread in around 2,000 hectares (ha) of forests in the district. He said the area under fire could increase as reports have been coming in of bushfire breaking out in the various community forests in the district.
Last year forest fire had spread only in 600 hectares area. However, this year forest fire has spread in more than 2,000ha area within the second week of Chait alone.
According to Shrestha, a large number of forest fires have broken out in the community forests in the highway area of Nawalpur. He said fire starts in the forest as people tend to throw burning cigarette butts in and around the highway area.
Similarly, it is found that people who have an issue with the community forest user committees also set fire in the forest in revenge. Likewise, animal herders also set fire in the belief that burning a patch of forest land will help in the germination of better grass and foliage for animals.
Nawalpur has about 70,400ha of forest.
