VietNamNet Bridge - Provinces in the Mekong Delta face the risk of forest fire due to a continuing drought, with many places putting up fire alarm level 5, the highest.

The drought has abraded the sides of That Son mountain in An Giang Province and withered most of the trees on it.

Le Thanh Cong, head of the Tinh Bien District Forestry Protection Office, said 65,000 hectares of forests in the District face a level 5 alarm, with a similar situation existing in neighboring Tri Ton District.

In An Giang 18,000 ha are at alarm level 4 or higher.

The heat and dry weather have become so extreme that rangers on Cam Mountain say: “A fire can break out because of a cigarette butt.”

Most of the vegetation on Phu Quoc Island in Kien Giang District has dried up, with 31,000 hectares of national parks and forests at fire alarm level 5, Trinh Khac Toan, deputy head of the local Forestry Protection Sub-department, said.

Two fires broke out recently but fortunately they were put out before they spread, he said.

“Many streams and canals have dried up. So we are short of water for extinguishing fires.”

The island authorities have ordered rangers to strengthen forest patrols.

The hot, dry weather has also parched Tram Chim National Park in Tam Nong District, Dong Thap Province, where fallen leaves have accumulated on the ground and are highly vulnerable to fire.

In the dry season last year, a fire that lasted several days in the area burnt down more than 380 ha of forests, including about 130 ha of cajuput.

In Ca Mau, the risk of forest fire has risen relentlessly increased, Nguyen Van The, the director of U Minh Ha National Park, said.

The Park has coordinated with local authorities and forestry units to draft fire prevention plans and apprise every household living near forests of it. They have also set up 380 firefighting teams.

Hau Giang Province authorities have also drafted plans to protect forests, including the 4,200-hectare Lung Ngoc Hoang Natural Conservation Zone.

Nguyen Vinh Phuc, head of the province Forestry Protection Sub-department, said: “Besides providing more facilities and training for firefighting, we have strengthened patrols and propaganda about fire control.”

26 provinces at risk

Forests in 16 provinces around the country face fire alarm level 5, the Forestry Protection Department said.

They include Tay Ninh, Dak Nong, Long An, An Giang, Binh Phuoc, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Dien Bien, Dak Lak, Dong Nai, Gia Lai, Ha Nam, Kon Tum, Lam Dong, Nghe An, and Ninh Binh.

Ten others have raised a level 4 alarm, the Department said.

The Central Steering Board for Forest Fire Prevention and Control has instructed all vulnerable provinces to strengthen protection measures.

Source: Tuoi Tre