April 22: Life in the Tarai region as well as in the hill areas of the country has been affected due to the lack of rain since a long time. The increasing heat and dry condition have led to the growing incidences of fire in various places.    
News reports of livestock, food grains and properties destroyed by infernos have been received from various places.    
A report from Bhairahawa, Rupandehi, stated that a fire spread to nine villages from Rohini rural municipality-6 in Rupandehi district on Saturday night, informed Deputy Superintendent of Police Manohar Bhatta, the spokesperson for the District Police Office Rupandehi.    
The fire that started from a stalk of dry wheat was fanned by winds and it spread to Bishnupura, Parsa, Buchi, Barawa, Tarkulaha, Kotahawa, Chamkipur and Piprahawa. Although there were no human casualties due to the fire, 40 houses were destroyed and 39 goats killed in the fire, said DSP Bhatta.    
The fire was brought under control in the evening with the joint efforts of the police, the Armed Police Force, the Nepalese Army and the locals, using the fire engine of the Devdaha municipality.    
Spokesperson Bhatta said fire incidents have been reported from throughout the district. A fire at Gaidahawa rural municipality destroyed properties worth hundreds of thousands of rupees, he said.    
A news report from Tamghas, Gulmi said 28 structures, including houses, shops and cowsheds were destroyed by a fire that spread from a forest in Gulmi district.    
The fire that raged from Friday until Saturday night razed the houses and cowsheds at Isma rural municipality's wards 1, 2 and 4, and at Gulmidurbar rural municipality, said Shankar Prasad Pokhrel, the spokesperson for the District Police Office, Gulmi.    
According to him, the fire that started at the Rani community forest at Sindukha, Isma rural municipality-2 spread to the settlements. The fire destroyed houses and animal sheds belonging to 15 persons at Hastichaur, killing a dozen cattle.    
Similarly, fire that spread out from the nearby forest partially damaged an electricity substation at Birbas, Gulmidarbar rural municipality-4 on Friday. Security personnel and locals brought the fire under control and prevented the substation from becoming fully-destroyed.    
The fire caused damage worth around Rs 20 million to the substation, police said.    
Similarly, a news report from Birgunj, Parsa said fire that spread from a wheat field across the border in India burnt thatched roof houses and food grains as well as crops of farmers at Bhalamahiya settlement , Chhipaharmai rural municipality-1 in Parsa district. The disaster damaged properties and food grains worth hundreds of thousands of rupees, it has been learnt.    
It is said the fire that started in the wheat field across the border in India at 3.00 pm on Saturday spread to the settlement and burnt the wheat crop, hay, chicken farm and the houses of 15 farmers. The inferno caused damage worth more than one million rupees, police said. -- RSS