Nepal, Feb. 5 -- A wildfire that started raging in the higher reaches of Gaurishankar Rural Municipality under Gaurishankar Conservation Area in Dolakha district on Friday has gone out of control. The inferno, which spread above Sikpaswar area, has engulfed vast swaths of forest and grassland, and threatened wildlife and people living in the surrounding area.

Locals have been terrorised with the fire spreading in the dense forest of Himalayan bamboo, known as Nigalo in Nepali, in a high altitude area above 3,000 metres. "The fire is spreading rapidly in the forests and grasslands. We tried to control it but we could not reach the area. The wildfire has spread since yesterday (Monday) and is now out of control," said Kumar Gurung, chairma...