The wildfire that broke out in the forest areas along the Nepal-China border in the Nyalam-Khasa area has been brought under control, but the Tatopani border point has yet to resume full operations.

The Chinese side has informed Nepali authorities that the crossing cannot be reopened as the customs system on its side is still inoperational due to damage caused by the fire.

According to Sindhupalchok Chief District Officer Ram Krishna Adhikari, Chinese authorities have been updating Nepal that border operations became impossible after fires erupted in Nyalam, Khasa and Chhobin areas. The fire reportedly started after an electricity transformer exploded in Khasa, spreading rapidly through dense forest. Residents of Khasa and the nearby Ramite were relocated to safer locations.

Although the fire that started on January 11 was brought under control on January 17, the border remains closed to the general public. “The border opened partially for a day on Wednesday and then closed again. It has not reopened since,” said Inspector Jag Bahadur Rai of the Kodari Area Police Office. “A few empty containers are going to China, and three to four containers of goods are entering Nepal, but this is not regular.”

Around 400 container trucks have been stranded on roads in the border area due to the closure, creating further problems for importers and traders.

Inspector Rai said the border area has been deserted since the closure. Authorities say there is no certainty of regular movement until the Chinese customs system is fully restored.

Buddha Raj Basnet, president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce & Industry’s Sindhupalchok chapter, said traders have become increasingly frustrated as containers carrying goods worth millions of rupees remain stuck. “Nearly 400 containers are stranded on roads in Khasa, Nyalam and the surrounding border areas,” he said.

The 26-kilometre Bahrabise-Tatopani road becomes dusty in summer and muddy during the monsoon, making container movement riskier. Infrastructure damaged by floods on the Chinese side, including quarantine facilities, parking areas, access roads to Khasa and tunnels, is still under reconstruction.

Meanwhile, traders say China's allowing only seven to 12 containers per day further complicates the situation.

The closure has worsened trade disruption with China. With the Rasuwagadhi border point remaining shut since the July flood, most trade had been routed through Tatopani. Due to the latest shutdown, containers carrying goods worth millions of rupees have been stranded on both sides of the border, leaving traders and importers concerned.