It is midwinter and forestry officials are bracing themselves for forest fires. Most forest fires occur during the winter when everything is dry. Many in fact blame the fires on the “dry season”.
Forestry officials however have a different story. The forest fires cannot be blamed on the dry season. According to them, most of the fires are started by people, intentionally or otherwise.
Dr. Kinley Tenzin, the Programme Director of the Renewable Natural Resources in Yusipang, said people in some eastern districts set forests on fire deliberately so that the lemon grass will grow better. Lemon grass is an important source of income for the people.
Fires are also started while clearing areas for cultivation, burning debris in the garden, from burning embers left behind by picnickers and cigarette butts thrown from a passing car.
More than 9,600 acres of forests were damaged by forest fires between 2009 and 2010. The figure increased to 10,000 acres in 2010-2011.
Over the last one year, Lhuentse dzongkhag recorded the highest number of forest fires with 5000 acres damaged, followed by Monggar with 1,500 acres.
