A wildfire that erupted Monday afternoon in Rautahat National Forest has destroyed approximately 50 pieces of firewood. Four fire engines from Hariwan, Nijgarh, Gaur, and Chandrapur are battling the blaze, which remains uncontrolled as of 5 pm. Police and armed forces have been deployed to assist in firefighting efforts.
The fire started in the Gaudatar Sub-Division Forest and has consumed stored sal and kukath firewood. Strong winds are hindering efforts to contain the fire, according to forest staff.
Divisional Forest Chief Shailendra Mishra confirmed the ongoing firefighting efforts and stated that damage assessments are underway. “A large amount of firewood was destroyed by the fire. We are trying to control it,” he said.
This incident highlights a recurring problem in Rautahat, where wildfires cause significant losses of firewood annually. The forest covers 29,400 hectares and has only nine designated firefighters to combat such emergencies.
