What is flaring Nepal’s issue of Forest Fires?

Over the last few decades, Nepal has seen an impressive restoration of its forests, reaching 41.6% in 2020 compared to 39.99% in 2000. However, persistent forest fires have been threatening the progress that the country has made in terms of forest recovery and conservation. The highest number of incidents typically occur during the months of March and April of each year. Despite 2021 recording a staggering 6,279 forest fires, the situation is expected to worsen in 2023, with projections indicating over 9,000 forest fires in the country.

According to the Forest Fire Detection and Monitoring System of the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation, Nepal has already experienced 2,781 forest fire incidents as of May 14, 2023.

While forest fires have devastating impacts, controlled forest fires can be ecologically beneficial as they rid forests of dead plants and debris, preventing future wildfires along with providing new plants the space and nutrients to grow. However, a majority of Nepal’s fire incidents are uncontrolled and have caused extensive damage to protected areas and national parks, posing a significant threat to endangered species of wildlife and plants. Additionally, forest fires have impacted local livelihoods by damaging properties, cutting off access to electricity, and depriving people of valuable forest resources. They have further contributed to a growing pollution crisis, resulting in a significant decline in air quality. Forest fires have been blamed for being the primary cause of Kathmandu’s position as the world’s most polluted city on April 16 and 17, 2023.

Impact of Climate Change

According to the 2021 Long-Term Climate Risk Index, Nepal ranked 10th globally, highlighting the worsening effects of forest fires due to increased hot and dry conditions. These conditions have made the country highly vulnerable to an escalation in fire incidents, as they create favorable circumstances for the accumulation of dry fuel, increasing the risk of fires even from minor sparks. Nepal’s temperatures have been rising at a faster rate than the global average, with an annual increase of 0.056°C compared to 0.03°C, globally. The Asian Development Bank’s 2021 Report predicts that this trend will continue, negatively impacting natural resources, agriculture, health, poverty, and disaster vulnerability. Furthermore, climate change has disrupted rainfall patterns, resulting in below-average precipitation. In the early months of 2023, Nepal received only 19.9% of the average rainfall, posing additional challenges. With expectations of below-average rainfall and higher temperatures in 2023, Nepal faces the risk of abundant dry fuel and the consequent threat of similar disasters, putting wildlife and habitats at risk due to abrupt climate changes. Additionally, climate change has intensified other natural hazards such as floods, landslides, and epidemics, causing both economic losses and loss of life among affected populations.

Human-Caused Forest Fires

In Nepal, It is burning waste is a common method of disposal. However, such fires can spread very easily to the forests as people usually do not have firebreaks around the area for burning. According to the Department of Forests and Soil Conservation, human actions that cause forest fires can range from deliberate burning to discarded cigarette butts. Such actions show a general lack of awareness among the public about the dangers their seemingly tiny actions can pose. There are more sinister causes as well such as poachers starting fires in an attempt to trap and poach wild animals. Locals also set fire to forests to encourage new growth and clear up old debris, but due to a lack of proper training, such fires can grow to an uncontrollable intensity. Further, the locals are unequipped, in regards to technology, equipment, and knowledge, to combat and control forest fires when they are still at a smaller scale.

Another matter of concern is Nepal’s weakening community forest management as community forest user groups (CFUGs) see declining interest and fewer members as more people leave villages to migrate to the cities or foreign lands. Further, laws surrounding forest management have confused ownership and responsibilities after federalism was adopted. CFUGs have expressed concerns about the Forest Regulation 2022, which has reduced their autonomy and imposed separate taxes at all three levels of government. This has made it increasingly difficult to manage forests, as they become overgrown with weeds, unwanted shrubs, and debris, increasing fire risks.

Lack of Government Prioritization

The response to the fires has been staggering due to the insufficient budget allocated with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority being allocated NPR 5 million for FY 2022/23. In addition, the Ministry of Forests has set aside only NPR 22 million for wildfire management. Poor and low resources have prevented institutions from purchasing necessary equipment, like portable water pumps. It also keeps institutions from conducting proper and regular training, adding to the issue of a lack of qualified personnel to fight the fires. Nepal has also been unable to utilize innovative scientific techniques due to the lack of technical expertise. It makes predicting fires challenging, which would have greatly aided in preventing and adequately preparing for the damages.

There is no clear policy in Nepal regarding forest fires, leading to confusion about the primary responsibility for addressing this issue and which tier or department should take the lead. The only explicit document for forest fire management in Nepal is the Forest Fire Management Strategy, 2010, which was found to have unsatisfactory achievements in preventive measures, and merely satisfactory for remedial ones. The other provisions regarding forest fire management are scattered across different sectoral agencies, making policy coordination and integration challenging. Further, while different policies, such as the National Climate Change Policy, 2019 allude to controlling forest fires, they do not explicitly mention the term, confusing jurisdiction. There has been little to no attention given to clarifying and amending policies, causing departments to function in silos, with Nepal not having a separate department for forest fire management.

Outlook

Nepal has been experiencing an annual loss of around 200,000 hectares of land since 2005, resulting in damages exceeding NPR 2 billion each year. With over 80% of the population relying on forests for various purposes, addressing forest fires should be a top priority. The Lumbini Provincial Government has initiated awareness campaigns and the Government of Nepal has collaborated with ICIMOD to develop a real-time monitoring tool for identifying and tracking forest fires. Improved coordination among departments is necessary to formulate comprehensive policies and plans that complement existing efforts. The escalating forest fires also underscore Nepal’s growing vulnerability to the climate crisis, demanding immediate interventions. However, the worsening fiscal deficit makes it difficult for immediate government interventions or investments in forest fires and other climate matters.  Nevertheless, the government must respond proactively to forest fires and environmental concerns. An immediate step in this direction would be to appoint a Minister of Environment, a post that has remained vacant since October 2022—to start the official and federal addressing of various pending environmental issues.