Fire incidents increasing across the country with prevalence of dry condition

KATHMANDU: Life in the Tarai region as well as in the hilly region has been affected due to the lack of rain for a long time. The increasing heat and dry conditions have led to the growing incidences of fire in various places of the country.

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 last night, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Manohar Bhatta, the spokesperson at the District Police Office Rupandehi.

The fire that started from the dry wheat stalk was fanned by winds and it spread to Bishnupura, Parsa, Buchi, Barawa, Tarkulaha, Kotahawa, Chamkipur and Piprahawa. Although there are no human casualties due to the fire, 40 houses have been destroyed and 39 goats killed in the fires, he said.

The fire was brought under control in the evening with the joint efforts of the police, the Armed Police Force, the Nepali Army and the locals, using the fire engine of the Devdaha municipality.

Spokesperson Bhatta said fire incidents have been reported from throughout the district, Bhatta said. A fire at Gaidahawa rural municipality has also destroyed properties worth hundreds of thousands of rupees, he said.

Fire destroys 28 houses and sheds in Gulmi

A news report from Tamghas, Gulmi said 28 structures, including houses, shops and cowsheds were destroyed by fire that spread from a forest in Gulmi district.

Fire that raged on Friday until Saturday night razed many houses and cowsheds at Isma Rural Municipality’s wards 1, 2 and 4, and at Gulmidurbar Rural Municipality, said Shankar Prasad Pokhrel, the spokesperson at the District Police Office, Gulmi.

According to him, the fire that started at the Rani Community Forest at Sindukha, Isma Rural Municipality-2 on Saturday afternoon spread to the settlements. The fire destroyed houses and animal sheds belonging to 15 persons at Hastichaur, killing a dozen cattle.

Similarly, the fire that spread out from the nearby forest has partially damaged the 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 has 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 has damaged properties and food grains worth hundreds of thousands of rupees, it is learnt.

It is said the fire started in the wheat field across the border in India at 3 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 and eighty-four thousand rupees, police said.