As Nepal nears the peak of its wildfire season, government officials, researchers, and community forest leaders have emphasized the need to adopt locally led, nature-based solutions to address rising fire risks.

The call came during three provincial consultations held last week, where participants said traditional ecological practices, combined with modern technology, offer the most effective defence against increasingly destructive wildfires.

Such measures include clearing leaf litter, maintaining fire lines, protecting water sources, removing invasive species and producing compost — interventions rooted in community stewardship rather than centralised control.

Nepal has recorded a sharp increase in forest fires over the past decade. In the first half of 2024 alone, more than 5,000 wildfire incidents were reported across 74 districts.

Officials warn that fires once considered seasonal are now more frequent, more intense and harder to contain.

Provincial officials from Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim — regions that together recorded more than 40,000 fire incidents between 2001 and 2023 — stressed the need to scale up nature-based approaches.

“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. He added that fire prevention improves when communities can generate income from managing forest litter and restoring ecosystems.

In Lumbini Province, officials said most fires are caused by human activity. “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 said the scale of current fires requires coordinated, disaster-level responses. “Forest fires have become a serious threat that demands cooperation from government, security forces and local communities,” said Dirgha Narayan Koirala, a provincial forest ministry secretary. He emphasized the importance of protecting water sources and promoting appropriate tree species.

The consultations, organized by Lutheran World Relief Nepal in Chandrauta, Birendranagar and Dhangadhi, brought together more than 150 representatives from community forest user groups, forest offices, provincial ministries and local governments to discuss the way out.

“Wildfires have effectively become a year-round hazard in Nepal,” said Kiran Ojha, country director of Lutheran World Relief Nepal. “The increasing loss of lives, homes, livestock and forests shows why preparedness must improve.”

Evidence presented at the consultations indicated that forests managed through locally rooted ecological practices are more resilient than those relying on costly external interventions.

The programme combines indigenous practices with tools such as geographic information systems mapping, remote sensing, artificial intelligence and community-based early warning systems.

“The evidence clearly shows that locally grounded ecological practices strengthen forest resilience far more effectively than high-cost approaches,” said Narayan Gyawali, programme director at Lutheran World Relief Nepal.

A survey of 486 households identified 43 community-led practices that reduce wildfire risk, including clearing leaf litter, protecting water sources, removing invasive species, producing compost among others.

“These practices strengthen biodiversity, soil health and rural livelihoods,” said Uttam Babu Shrestha, director of the Global Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies.

Representatives from the REDAA programme also visited project sites and met community forest groups working to reduce fire risks and restore ecosystems.

Experts warn that delaying wider adoption of nature-based solutions could deepen ecological and economic losses.

“The best option we have is to maximize the wisdom of nature — and of the communities who depend on it,” Gyawali said.