Five thousand hectares of forest are ablaze in Banke, Nepal.
Currently, a total area of 5,133 hectares comprising various community forests and the Chakla forest in Banke is engulfed in flames.
The District Forest Office of Banke reports that 76 community forests and one Chakla Forest have been affected by the fire outburst. Banke is home to approximately 100 community forests.
Birendra Rokka, the Assistant Forest Officer and Information Officer at the District Forest Office, stated that fire fighting vehicles, along with eight firefighters, have largely succeeded in containing the blaze across most of the forests.
Efforts to curb the fire include the construction of 30 kilometers of fire lines in the Chakla forest and 20 kilometers in different community forests. The fire's origin is attributed to the prolonged dry season without rainfall, compounded by human negligence.
The fire has resulted in casualties among various wildlife, including rabbits, snakes, and diverse avian species.
In the meantime, there have been 105 fire incidents reported across different administrative levels in Banke. Assistant Chief District Officer Jorasingh Majhi disclosed that one fatality and six injuries have resulted from these incidents. Additionally, a total of 104 cattle have succumbed to the fires.
The property losses from the fires, which occurred in Narainapur, Raptisonari, Janaki, and Nepalgunj, are estimated at Rs 17.7 million.