A wildfire that spread from various community forests in Dikuwa, Ward No. 2 of Halesi Tuwachung Municipality, Khotang, reached the village, destroying a school building and nine houses and sheds.
The fire engulfed the two-room building of Balkanya Basic School, along with the houses and sheds of Adam Rai from Dandabari, Nagendra Rai and Sambar Bahadur Rai from Panchbhaiyatar, Rana Bahadur Rai from Baghkhor, Pavindra Kumar Rai and Hira Dhan Rai from Siddhathan, and Krishna Bahadur Rai, Chayan Kumar Rai, and Tank Bahadur Rai from Langma.
The wildfire started on Sunday night in the Namelkha area’s community forest in Dikuwa. “The fire that reached the village has now been extinguished. We successfully put out the fire in Chumpang last night,” an official said. “The fire was doused with the efforts of the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Police, municipal police, and locals. However, the wildfire is still active in the community forest of Bharjedanda, and efforts to extinguish it are ongoing.”
After the fire was brought under control, the teams of the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police, deployed from the district headquarters, were withdrawn, informed Narahari Ghimire, Chief District Officer and Chairperson of the District Disaster Management Committee.
“The District Disaster Management Fund has provided immediate relief of NPR 15,000 per affected household, along with a tent and a blanket for each family. Additional relief and resettlement efforts are underway.”
The fire also killed livestock, including a heifer belonging to Krishna Bahadur Rai, two mother goats of Sambar Bahadur Rai, and ten mother goats of Chhote Rai from Chyanatar. According to the ward chairperson, seven of Chhote Rai’s goats were found burned to death in the grazing area of Langma Pakha, while three are still missing.
Mayor Bimala Rai of the municipality stated that the fire-affected families in Dikuwa have been provided with NPR 10,000 in cash per household, along with essential daily supplies.
“The full damage assessment of the fire incident in Dikuwa is yet to be completed. A team has been mobilized for data collection,” she said. “Fortunately, there were no human casualties. However, as the affected area was already drought-stricken, the losses were significant.”
