Several settlements in Thori Rural Municipality, Parsa, are at risk due to fires in surrounding community forests. 

A fire that broke out from Saraswoti Community Forest spread into a settlement on Saturday, causing panic among locals.

Police said the fire was taken under control after nearly seven hours. 

In Thori-2, a fire at Banshakti Community Forest advanced into a village. The advancing flames were put out before they could catch nearby homes. 

Locals said they doused the fire with the help of security personnel.  

The raging forest fires have become a cause for concern for Thori residents.

Several community forests that border the Chitwan National Park are ablaze since Saturday, according to Thori locals. In Udayapur district, a wildfire has burned through more than 500 hectares of forest cover in Chaudandigadhi and Triyuga.

Kushal Babu Basnet, the district chairman of Federation of Community Forest Users’ Group, said multiple forest fires have broken out in the Chure region, putting the wildlife at risk.