Many communities in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, also known as the land of the thunder dragon due to the dramatic storms that seasonally light up the country’s skies, are increasingly facing the very real threat of forest fires. Installation of a ‘disaster tank’ in one community has boosted emergency preparedness and raised awareness of the dangers of forest fires among residents.

Climate change means rains are increasingly unpredictable and long dry periods result in tinder-dry forests, which make up 70% of the country and ensure that Bhutan is one of the world’s few carbon neutral nations.

According to the Department of Forests and Park Services, the number of forest fires has increased dramatically over the years, largely due to human error - making awareness raising about safe practices in dry forestland particularly important.

The country has a National Forest Fire Management Strategy that aims to reduce the risk of forest fires and minimize their impact on people, property, and the environment. However, the natural formation of steep mountains and dense forests also means a lack of access that makes it further challenging to efficiently tackle and prevent fires. As a result, communities across Bhutan have limited capacity to respond to fire emergencies.

In Womrong a sub-District in Trashigang, however, the local government took a proactive approach in responding to community concerns. Tashy Tenzin explains: “When I took up my position here over a year ago, I asked in the first meeting what was the one thing that everyone needed first. I received a unanimous response: a disaster tank for [fighting] fires.”

In 2009, a major fire had swept through the entire town, destroying nearly all its houses and taking many lives. Back then, the small town did not have any water reserves to fight back. Since that day, survivors have lived with the fear of another fire.

The Department of Local Governance was able to help using funds delivered through the Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL), which was designed and is managed by the UN Capital Development Fund. Following community consultations, a 'Disaster Tank' was constructed and community members received training to use it in case of fires. The proximity of the police station just below the tank also means that the police can intervene rapidly and maintain the tank in perfect working order. And, as an added bonus for the community, when the tank is full, as during the rainy season, it also provides piped water for the whole community.

“We are very much grateful to the DLG [department of local government] and to [UNCDF-LoCAL] for having this Disaster Tank as we call it. It’s integrated: we use it for daily water needs and for fire also,” said Mr Tenzin.

Tashy Tinzen, Governor of Womrong sub-District, Trashigang Bhutan, UNCDF LoCAL Cedric Jancloes 2022

The water tank now provides water to fight fires in the community and has raised awareness and improved local capacities in fire avoidance and preparedness. A recent wildfire risk assessment conducted in Bhutan identified fire-prone areas, wildfire threats, and assessed the risks to communities, biodiversity, and assets. The report pinpointed the need to involve communities “to effectively mitigate and adapt to forest fire in Bhutan”.

A small wooden shop in the main street of Womrong, Trashigang, Bhutan UNCDF LoCAL Cedric Jancloes 2022

Tshering Penjor, working as the UNCDF's LoCAL Country Officer explains: "With the LoCAL mechanism, local communities decide on their own through their vulnerability assessments carried out at the local level and then come up with interventions to be invested in [by] their local government."

"Unfortunately, while local communities and their representatives know where they should be investing in terms of addressing and overcoming these climate issues, lack of resources remains a main barrier for them," Mr Penjor added. Bhutan is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and accessing climate finance for adaptation and resilience building is a challenge.

"As of now we have already made 350 plus smaller investments in 100 local governments," said Mr Penjor. "Many of the local governments are now aware of the climate change impacts and they can really now mainstream those climate change related issues when they formulate their developmental plans and programmes at the local level. This is another key achievement of LoCAL overall. "

The image of the thunder dragon is emblazoned across objects and even the national flag in Bhutan, UNCDF LoCAL Cedric Jancloes 2022

Find out more about LoCAL here

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