Forest Fires, Suffocating Environment: Pokhara Records Less Rainfall Than Last Year

Pokhara: The sky over Pokhara seems suffocating. In this beautiful city, where mountains are usually visible, the dense smog now obscures even the nearby hills. Air flights have remained suspended for the past few days due to the persistent overcast conditions. Smog is making Pokhara a scene of disarray. The Air Quality Index (AQI) indicates significant pollution in Pokhara's air. As of Monday afternoon, the index displayed a reading of 175, posing health risks to residents. An AQI reading exceeding 50 is deemed harmful to human health.

 

Currently, pollution is not limited to the skies of Pokhara but also affects Gandaki Province. Forest fires directly impact the environment, exacerbating the situation. Additionally, the weather has not cleared due to a lack of rain during the rainy season. Pre-monsoon in Nepal typically lasts from March to May. Despite Pokhara being renowned for its abundant rainfall, it is not receiving as much rain as expected during this pre-monsoon period.

 

Due to the lack of rain and forest fires, the environment has become suffocating. According to information provided by the Directorate of Forests, Gandaki, forest fires have broken out in 467 places in Gandaki until Sunday afternoon. The fires have affected all districts except Mustang in Gandaki. Their impact is most felt in the Nawalpur district.

 

More human involvement in forest fires is evident

 

A fire broke out in the community forest in Myagdi on Saturday afternoon. An arrest has been made, accusing a local man of setting fire to the forest. Locals witnessed him setting fire in the forest and handed him over to the police. Additionally, a few days ago in Myagdi, another individual was arrested for setting fire to the forest.

 

According to Binay Bahadur Adhikari Khatri, Information Officer of the Division Forest Office in Myagdi, two people have been arrested for setting fire to forests in the district. Investigations are ongoing regarding their involvement. He refrained from providing further details as the matter is currently under investigation. On Sunday evening, a fire broke out in Beni 6 of the Ramche Community Forest, causing damage to an unused squatter's house. The tower fiber of Myagdi Kali FM was burnt in the incident. It is suspected that the fire in the forest was caused by human actions.

 According to the information provided by the Forest Directorate, the fire has burnt 8,277 hectares of land in Gandaki until Sunday afternoon. It has primarily affected the Nawalpur and Baglung districts. According to Directorate Forest Officer Tilak Thapa, one person was also injured due to the fire in Myagdi. He reported that 85 cubic feet of wood and 1 square meter of firewood have been damaged in Nawalpur.

Data shows how many areas in Gandaki have been affected by forest fires.

Only one place in Manang, the lowest in the province, has been affected by forest fire. Directorate Forest Officer Tilak Thapa states that most of the forest fires in Gandaki are caused by humans.

 

"There are more human-caused incidents than natural ones. With no rain, the adverse weather has caused more damage," said Thapa.

 

In this manner, the primary reason for setting fires in the forest is the belief that it will improve the quality of grass. According to Kedar Baral, spokesperson of the Ministry of Forests and Environment in Gandaki, fires are intentionally ignited with the expectation of promoting better grass growth.

"People perceive that if there is a fire in the nearby forest, it will result in the growth of better grass later on," he said.

 

According to him, there are very few incidents of natural fires in the forest. He explains that due to geographical reasons, fires are not easily extinguished, and they can spread from one area to another. He noted that fires starting in steep areas can quickly spread. Although the occurrence of fires due to natural causes is minimal, there is still a possibility of fires occurring due to factors such as short circuits or lightning. However, there is a higher likelihood of fires being caused knowingly or unknowingly by humans.

 

"Fires are primarily caused by humans rather than natural factors. Cigarette butts should be properly disposed of. When having picnics, people should refrain from lighting fires without caution," he added.

Photo Shows Forest Fires Impacting Gandaki: Source - NASA

 

Less rain has been recorded in Pokhara compared to last year

Pokhara has been enveloped in polluted air, contributing to its degraded appearance. Since April 18, Pokhara's air quality has consistently ranked high on the pollution index.

The disruption of air flights over the past few days has impacted tourism and has adverse effects on human health. Jeevan Regmi, a professor of physics at Prithvi Narayan Campus and an air quality researcher, explains that due to Pokhara's polluted environment, rainfall patterns have been disrupted, and forest fires have occurred.

 

"It has been a long time since the first rainfall. We're experiencing a drought. This time in Pokhara, there was no rainfall in the winter, and it hasn't even rained during the pre-monsoon period," he added. "Even now, there are fires in many hills. The dust from these fires lingers in the sky for extended periods. For it to settle, we need rain or wind to blow the fire dust away."

As Jeevan mentioned, the rainfall during the pre-monsoon season is below average in Pokhara. According to information provided by the Water and Weather Forecasting Branch in Pokhara, a total of 83.8 mm of rain has fallen in Pokhara since the start of the pre-monsoon period. Pre-monsoon typically begins in March in Nepal. The total rainfall in Pokhara from March to the present is 83.8 mm. This amount is 187.8 mm less than the rainfall recorded during the same period last year.

At this time in 2023, from March to the current date, 271.6 mm of rain fell. Similarly, 508.3 mm of rain fell during the pre-monsoon period. Branch officer Prakash Gurung states that this year, compared to previous years, there has been significantly less rain during the pre-monsoon season. In 2022, there was a record low rainfall during the pre-monsoon period, a record that has been broken in 2024. Until April 2022, 117.8 mm of rain fell, and 404.3 mm of rain was received throughout the pre-monsoon period.

As Professor and air researcher Regmi mentioned, the absence of rainfall in Pokhara contributes to further pollution of the air.

"Because of the lack of rain, harmful air particles remain stagnant near the ground, leading to increased pollution. There are more pollutants accumulating, with no means to disperse them," Regmi explained.

 

Air pollution is influenced by both local and international factors. Currently, it is the planting season for crops in various parts of India, and polluted air from those areas can also drift into Nepal.

Enforcement Gap: Forest Fire Incidents on the Rise

From March to Sunday, fires have erupted in 467 locations in Gandaki. Additionally, a fire occurred in the community forest of Pokhara 27 yesterday evening. The number of areas affected by forest fires is increasing. There is a provision in place for legal action to be taken in cases of deliberate forest fires.

In subsection (4) of section 50 of the Forest Act, 2076, there is a provision stipulating that action will be taken against those responsible for setting fires. According to this act, damages can be recovered, and offenders can face imprisonment for up to three years or a fine of 60,000 Nepali rupees.

Despite the legal provisions, no arrests have been made for this crime in Gandaki thus far. An investigation is underway in Myagdi. Kedar Baral, spokesperson of the Ministry of Forests and Environment, states that identifying the culprits responsible for starting the forest fires is proving to be challenging.

"Putting out forest fires doesn't take much time. Once ignited, they quickly escalate, making it difficult to contain," he added,"Local support is crucial in identifying those responsible for starting the fires. Typically, it's challenging to pinpoint the individuals who ignite them."

 

The Ministry has undertaken various activities to raise awareness about forest fires. Collaborating with community forests, it has conducted awareness programs. Despite people being aware of the issue, there remains a concern that some individuals deliberately start fires.

 

By Reena Thapa (Taani)

First published on Lokaantar, the Nepali online media source, the link is included below.

https://www.lokaantar.com/story/254070/2024/4/30/main-news/pokhara-dadhelo