Wildfires in monastery, forest
Wildfires in monastery, forest
14 March 2009
published by www.kantipuronline.com
Nepal — Separate teams of security personnel of Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police have been mobilized since Friday night in order to protect local Liping Monastery and settlements in Liping Bazaar after a wildfire that broke out in the forest areas gradually began spreading to nearby settlements.
Chinese security personnel from neighbouring Khasa Bazaar are also being deployed in large numbers for dousing the fire. According to police, the fire was advancing towards Tatopani Bazaar of Nepal and Khasa Bazaar of China.
Forests covering hundreds of hectares of land have been destroyed in the fire. In A similar incident within the past few days, large swathes of forests in Langtang National Park in Rasuwa district have been damaged by fire.
Police said teams of security personnel returned to the district headquarters Dhunche on Saturday after their attempts to put out the fire in the park were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, wildfires at Seudipakha of Kahu VDC in Kaski district that was doused by the locals and security personnel on Friday night has restarted on Saturday morning.
The fire has spread into the nearby community forests and advancing toward human settlements.
Locals said many birds and animals in the forests were killed in the fire.
Until Saturday afternoon, the fire had not come under control. Wildfires at Bhalam, Armala, Dhampus and Sarangkot in the district were controlled by the locals and security personnel.
Also, the wildfire at Bandre community forest at Fedikhola VDC-1 in Syangja district since past three days has not come under control.
