Project background
Nepal, celebrated for its breathtaking landscapes and rich biodiversity, is facing an unprecedented surge in forest fires, fuelled by climate change and human activity.
The country’s mountainous regions, home to unique ecosystems and communities deeply connected to their forests, are now under threat. In 2024 alone, Nepal recorded over 4,500 forest fire incidents, a sharp rise that is endangering lives, livelihoods and precious biodiversity.
Climate change is amplifying the increase of forest fires through extended droughts, unpredictable rainfall, and rising temperatures drying out vegetation.
As glaciers shrink and water sources diminish, the effects of these fires stretch far beyond their immediate devastation, endangering water security across vast downstream areas. Loss of forest cover due to fire also leads to increased soil erosion, heightening landslide risks during the monsoon season. With each fire, delicate ecosystems suffer and the lives of people who call these forests their home are increasingly at risk.
Community-based responses are essential, as local communities are Nepal’s first line of defence against forest fires. Yet, many of these communities currently lack the tools, training and resources to respond effectively, often relying on basic equipment like shovels and water buckets to fight fires. This leaves them vulnerable, and limits their ability to protect their forests and their lives.
Project overview
This project will implement forest fire management and response strategies in collaboration with local communities, community forest user groups, government authorities and stakeholders across four community forests in Bagmati Province: Golmeshwor Community Forest (Shailung Rural Municipality), Salleri Community Forest (Shailung Rural Municipality), Banjhe Kapase Community Forest (Chautara Municipality) and Bhedigoth Community Forest (Chautara Municipality).
The activities will include training local community members, government officials, and district forest officers in forest fire response, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to respond effectively when fires occur. The training will cover both theoretical and practical aspects to fire response, including an introduction to forest fire behaviour and intensity, safety protocols, firefighting strategies and tactics, as well as the correct use and maintenance of basic forest fire hand tools.
The project will also involve various community consultations to develop fire response protocols at both the community and rural municipality levels. These protocols will ensure clear coordination mechanisms are in place during fire events and will include running fire drills as part of preparedness efforts. These coordination mechanisms will also help ensure that the most vulnerable community members are identified, accounted for and supported in the event of a fire.
Additionally, the project will provide protective equipment and basic firefighting tools for community members, along with water drums to ensure accessible water sources are available when needed.
Key outcomes
- The capacity of Shailung Rural Municipality and Chautara Municipality to effectively respond to forest fire events is strengthened.
Indicators for Measuring Progress:
- 80% of trained individuals are actively applying approved coordination and response mechanisms during fire drills and actual fire incidents.
- 80% of trained individuals demonstrate effective use of fire response tools and techniques during post-training practical assessments.
Contribution to the Broader Project Strategy:
This project is part of a larger forest fire prevention and management project that will also contribute to:
- Strengthening capacity within rural and municipal governments to prevent forest fire incidents.
- Increasing recognition by local and provincial policymakers of the importance of community-based forest fire management practices.
- Together, these outcomes contribute to the long-term goal of enhancing the protection of communities, livelihoods and biodiversity from climate-induced
and human-caused forest fires in Shailung and Chautara.
- By working in close partnership with local communities and government authorities, the project builds the technical, institutional and policy foundations necessary for a sustainable and community-led approach to forest fire management.
Progress toward the long-term project goals will be assessed through the following indicators:
- A decrease in the number of forest fires caused by human activity
- A reduction in forest fire intensity and the total area (in hectares) damaged by fire, compared to baseline data collected at the start of the project
- Improved response times to fire incidents across both municipalities
What are the costs covered?
- Staff costs (1 project manager, 2 field staff and 1 forest fire expert)
- Training for 40 people (community forest user groups, the local community, district forest officers) on forest fire response
- Fire fighting equipment and protective gear for communities
- Project monitoring costs
Partner and community involvement
Established in 2000, ForestAction Nepal (FAN) is a non-profit organisation focused on forestry, biodiversity, agriculture and climate change. They take an interactive approach to research and policy engagement, collaborating with academia, civil society, and government agencies to develop inclusive policies to address social, economic and environmental issues. ForestAction Nepal has built extensive international networks to enrich policy development in Nepal.
The project works in close collaboration with local community members, as well as local and provincial governments, district forest officers, and fire experts to implement its interventions. These stakeholders will actively participate in training on forest fire response, and play a critical role in developing forest fire response protocols. This is essential for sustaining the project's benefits, fostering a sense of ownership among participants, and strengthening their capacity to protect their communities and biodiversity from forest fires.
Additionally, AHF and ForestAction Nepal are engaging with globally prominent Australian fire experts to support technical aspects of the fire training.
How does this project fit into a larger strategy?
The project is closely aligned with, and supports key government strategies including Nepal’s REDD+ Strategy and the Ministry of Forests and Environment’s Forest Fire Management Strategy 2010, which underscores the critical need to mitigate forest fire risks. The project's outcomes contribute to a broader strategy aimed at strengthening community capacity not only for forest fire response but also for prevention efforts.
Additionally, by leveraging ForestAction Nepal’s expertise in research and policy engagement, the project will produce two policy briefs and develop rural municipality-level strategies for forest fire prevention and response. These will support the strengthening of fire management and disaster response frameworks at the local and provincial levels.
Knowledge products based on the project’s outcomes and lessons learned will also be developed and disseminated to key policymakers at national, provincial and local levels. This will help ensure that both national and local strategies are informed by, and responsive to, community perspectives and needs in forest fire management.