Forest Fires in the Central Himalayas: Causes and Impacts on the Availability of Forest Resources Across Different Ecological Zones

The Himalayan region has faced frequent and extensive wildfires in recent years. Despite this, drivers and livelihood impacts of fires have not been adequately studied. We investigated socioeconomic drivers and impacts of forest fires across Mountain, Mid-Hill, and Terai regions of the central Himalayas, Nepal. Through household surveys (n = 207) and key informant interviews (n = 11) we found that human actions, both deliberate and accidental, were major perceived causes of forest fires. Majority of respondents stated that fires promoted the growth of fodder grasses and wild edible mushrooms, but negatively affected fodder trees, timber, and medicinal plants. In the Mid-Hill region, we observed that abandoned farmland converts to shrubland and provides forest products to owners, thereby reducing dependence on community forests and affecting the sense of forest ownership. Our findings suggest an urgent need to integrate wildfire as a key issue in forest management policies in this region.