Mekong Delta tightens fire prevention measures

Mekong Delta tightens fire prevention measures

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Authorities in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta have stepped up measures for preventing forest fires during the ongoing peak dry season when the threat is high.

 

Members of a forest protection group at the U Minh Thượng National Park in Kiên Giang Province patrol forests to look for fires. — VNA/VNS Photo Lê Huy Hải

HCM CITY — Authorities in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta have stepped up measures for preventing forest fires during the ongoing peak dry season when the threat is high.

In Kiên Giang Province, more than  四 一, 二00ha of forests are under threat because of extreme hot weather and the drying out of water sources in forests, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development,

Trương Thanh Hào, deputy director of the department, said the forest fire risks are between the third and fifth levels, the latter being the highest.

The forests facing the highest risk level are in Phú Quốc City and Kiên Hải District, he said.

The Forest Protection Sub-department, in co-operation with localities and forest managers, has regularly organised advocacy activities for forest fire prevention and persuaded nearly  一,000 households living near forests to sign co妹妹itments to combat fires.

It has established more than  一 七0 grassroots fire prevention groups with more than  一, 五00 members comprising rangers, forest managers and others.

In Cà Mau, the country’s southernmost province, more than  三 三,000ha of forests are under threat, with  一 八, 二00ha designated level five.

Lê Văn Hải, head of the province Forest Protection Sub-department, said Hòn Khoai Islands and U Minh District face the highest risk of fires.

The province has assigned more than  五00 forest rangers and managers, employees of the U Minh Hạ Forestry One Member Co., Ltd and the U Minh Hạ National Park to monitor forests around the clock and take prompt measures in case of fires.

It has also got more than  五,000 local people to stand by for helping combat forest fires.

An Giang Province has identified nearly  七, 三 七0ha of forests, or more than  四 三 per cent of the total, as facing high risk of fires. They locate mostly in the mountainous districts of Tịnh Biên and Tri Tôn and Châu Đốc City.

The mountainous localities have many pagodas and temples, and in what is the peak pilgrimage time people often burn incense and votive paper offerings which poses a fire risk.

The province has stepped up advocacy among pilgrims about the risk of forest fires whenever they burn anything.

Trương Minh Hùng, deputy head of the province Forest Protection Sub-department, said his agency has instructed its staff to monitor forest fires at certain important places.

Besides, authorities in the delta, which comprises  一 二 provinces and Cần Thơ City, have prepared more firefighting facilities and stored water.  

Phan Thị Trúc Giang, head of the Sóc Trăng Province Forest Protection Sub-department, said it is important to dredge canals in forests to store water and facilitate waterway travel to combat fires.

The province has more than  一0, 二00ha of forests, mostly cajuput, but has managed to keep them safe from fires for many years.

Kiên Giang has created hundreds of kilometres of firebreaks, built or upgraded  二 五 dams and six sluices and installed  四 七 water containers in important forests facing high risks.

It has cleared forests of fla妹妹able materials, dredged water reservoirs in forests to increase their capacity, pumped water into cajuput forests, built  三 五 watchtowers, and drilled  八0 borewells.

There have been four forest fires in Phú Quốc Island this dry season, which damaged  三. 四ha of forests. — VNS

Tags forests