Kathmandu, March 17 -- An alarming rise in the number of forest fires has been devastating Nepal's forests and releasing massive amounts of carbon that threaten both biodiversity and the economy, according to new research, which warns that the worst is yet to come.

Last month, wildfires ravaged around 82 hectares of forest land in Sindhupalchok, particularly in the upper regions of Jugal and Bhotekoshi rural municipalities. The blazes took days to extinguish. Similarly, a wildfire in Liping forest in ward 2 of Bhotekoshi rural municipality, near the Nepal-China border, burned 35 hectares.

In Dolakha, a massive fire scorched hectares of forest land in the Gaurishankar Conservation Area. The fire, which started on January 28, was brought ...