April 21: With the rise in temperature in recent days and the extension of the dry season, incidents of forest fire have increased all of sudden.

According to the state-owned national news agency RSS, forest fires were reported at 379 places of 17 districts across the country on Wednesday alone. The Department of Forests and Soil Conservation told RSS that 379 incidents of forest fire in one day is the highest number reported this year.

Officials say that controlling forest fire is becoming challenging due to increasing temperature, unfavourable weather, presence of flammable materials in forests and territorial difficulties.    

Smoke due to forest fires has covered the sky across the country and people have started facing problem due to air pollution following the incidents of forest fires.    
Forest fires takes place mainly from January to May in the country during the dry season.

As per the record of the department, forest fires had taken place at 112 places of 26 district on April 14, 28 places of eight districts on April 15, 32 places of 12 districts on April 16, 64 places of 10 districts on April 17 and 180 places of 33 districts on April 18.    
Forest fires mostly take place especially in the districts of Tarai and the Inner Tarai region of the country, said Govinda Kumar Shrestha, Assistant Forest Officer at the department's Information Desk.    
He said wildfire incidents have been reported more from Dang, Chitwan, Arghakhanchi, Pyuthan and Surkhet in recent days.    
According to him, of the forest fires seen in recent days the so-called 'crown wildfire' is seen in Sindhuli and Ramechhap only while that seen in other places is the surface wildfire.    
The department said more wildfire incidents have occurred as there has been only scanty rainfall during the winter this year. It is said most of the forest fire incidents result from human activities. Locals knowingly start forest fires in the hope that grass would flourish better under the slash and burn agriculture.    
Although forest fire is a good way of forest management, it should be done in a controlled manner, according to knowledgeable people in the forestry sector.    
According to the department, 64 percent forest fires are done by people intentionally.    
Deputy Director of the Department Nawaraj Pudasaini said bushfires take place due to the fire lit for cooking by picnickers and the burning of cigarette butts left by shepherds and people coming in the forest to collect animal fodder or other forest products. -- RSS