KATHMANDU: As Nepal approaches the height of its wildfire season, government officials, researchers and community forest leaders are calling for the need of locally led nature‑based solutions (NbS) to address escalating fire risks. The urgency of the issue was extensively discussed during three provincial consultations held last week, where participants emphasized that traditional ecological practices — strengthened with modern technology — remain the most effective defense against increasingly destructive wildfires.

Nepal has seen a sharp rise in forest fires over the past decade. In the first half of 2024 alone, more than 5,000 wildfire incidents were recorded across 74 districts, and officials warn that fires that were once seasonal are now more frequent, more intense and more difficult to contain.

Provincial secretaries from Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim — regions that together recorded more than 40,000 fire incidents between 2001 and 2023 — reiterated the need to expand the use of NbS.

“Climate change has turned forest fires into catastrophic events, and the only sustainable way forward is to pair traditional practices with modern tools,” said Ajit Kumar Karn, Secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment in Karnali Province. “Fire prevention becomes far more effective when communities can earn income from managing forest litter and restoring forests.”

In Lumbini Province, officials stressed that most fires continue to be human‑caused. “Ninety‑nine percent of Nepal’s forest fires result from human activity,” said Pramod Bhattarai, Secretary of the Ministry of Forest and Environment. “Equipment and budgets matter, but we cannot control fires without conscious communities.”

Sudurpaschim officials warned that the scale of current fires demands disaster‑level coordination. “Forest fires have become a serious threat that demands cooperation from government, security forces and local communities,” said Dirgha Narayan Koirala, Secretary of the Province Forest Ministry. “Protecting water sources and promoting the right tree species are essential to strengthening our landscapes.”

The consultations — organized by Lutheran World Relief (LWR) Nepal in Chandrauta, Birendranagar and Dhangadhi — brought together more than 150 representatives from Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs), Division Forest Offices, provincial ministries and local governments. Discussions focused on improving community preparedness, integrating NbS into forest and disaster‑risk management systems and addressing persistent capacity gaps at the local level.

These consultations were part of the four‑year PunarUtthan Program (2025–2029), implemented by LWR Nepal with support from the Reversing Environmental Degradation in Africa and Asia (REDAA) program, managed by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) with funding from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

“Wildfires have effectively become a year‑round hazard in Nepal,” said Kiran Ojha, LWR Nepal’s Country Director. “The increasing loss of lives, homes, livestock and forests shows why preparedness must improve.”

To address these rising risks, the program combines indigenous practices with scientific tools such as GIS mapping, remote sensing, artificial intelligence and community‑based early‑warning systems. Evidence presented at the consultations showed that forests managed through locally rooted ecological practices demonstrate stronger resilience than those dependent on costly external interventions.

“The evidence clearly shows that locally grounded ecological practices strengthen forest resilience far more effectively than high‑cost approaches,” said Dr Narayan Gyawali, Program Director at LWR Nepal and team leader of PunarUtthan.

A GIIS survey of 486 households identified 43 community‑led practices that reduce wildfire risk, including clearing leaf litter, protecting springs and ponds, removing invasive species, producing compost and maintaining fire lines. “These practices strengthen biodiversity, soil health and rural livelihoods,” said GIIS Director Dr Uttam Babu Shrestha.

In the meantime, REDAA representatives Francesca Booker and Benedicte Piton visited the program sites and interacted with Community Forest User Groups applying NbS to reduce fire hazards and restore the farm–forest–water nexus.

“The progress we are seeing across all three provinces shows that wildfire resilience strengthens when science and community knowledge come together,” said Dr Hira Dhar Chudali, Senior Program Manager at LWR Nepal. “Our goal is to ensure that local institutions — not external actors — lead prevention and restoration efforts with confidence and evidence.”

Under PunarUtthan, LWR Nepal plans to train 20,000 people in wildfire management, improve livelihoods for 3,000 households, restore 40 hectares of degraded land and support 12 local governments in developing wildfire mitigation plans.

Experts warn that delaying the wider adoption of NbS could result in deeper ecological and economic losses. “The best option we have is to maximize the wisdom of nature — and of the communities who depend on it,” said Dr Gyawali.