Forest rangers go on patrol at the Bù Gia Mập National Park. — VNA/VNS Photo K’Gửi H

BÌNH PHƯỚC — Prolonged heat has caused the Bù Gia Mập National Park, the "green lung" of the southeast region, to be on high alert for forest fires.

The forest fire risk assessment is at level five, the most dangerous one.

Therefore, over the past three months, the park’s ranger force and the community have always been ready to increase patrols and guard the area.

The Bù Gia Mập National Park is in Bù Gia Mập District, Bình Phước Province.

It borders Cambodia and Việt Nam’s Central Highlands Province of Đắk Nông.

The park is the largest natural forest area in Bình Phước Province with nearly 26,000ha.

Border roads and National Highway 14C, where a large number of people and vehicles travel and as a result increase the risk of fire spreading to adjacent forests, are of concern.

The park management board organises forces, vehicles, logistics and command ready on site.

Hoàng Anh An, a ranger of the park, said, "The park has urged the community to patrol and check forest fire situation in the area. To ensure the work quality, the park assigned each group to be on duty at one spot. In addition, we also take turns patrolling all hot spots.”

The park has many areas adjacent to residential areas, rubber and cashew fields. Raising local people's awareness is always of concern to the park's leaders.

During the dry season, the park management board continuously warns residents to be very careful when using fire to clear fields.

In the peak of the dry season, the community guarding the forest lives together with the park's rangers to be ready for day-and-night patrol.

Each group includes five or six local residents and one or two forest rangers, changing shifts continuously.

Each checkpoint is about 500m-1km apart.

Điểu Quýt, a local resident, said, “We always try to protect against deforestation and forest fires. People passing through the forest are reminded not to destroy the forest and to be careful when using fire. We regularly remind people not to go into the forest during the dry season so as not to affect the forest or cause forest fires.”

Điểu Hiếu, who lives in Đắk Ơ Commune, said that up to now, no forest fire has occurred, thanks to their careful watch.

Vương Đức Hòa, Director of the Bù Gia Mập National Park Management Board, said the dry season was a very difficult period for those working on forest fire prevention and control.

The force must create fire barriers between forest areas and people's farming areas, along Highway 14C, and the boundary between Đắk Nông and Bình Phước provinces.

The park distributed leaflets on the problem, asked people to clear cashew gardens and sign a commitment to not allow forest fires.

Although the force has few members, thanks to good coordination, the park is being safely protected, with no forest fires or deforestation occurring.

Digital technology application

The park has forest protection contracts with community members in three border communes, including Đắk Ơ and Bù Gia Mập of Bình Phước Province and Quảng Trực Commune of Đắk Nông Province, with more than 600 households.

Each household takes care of about 30ha.

Over the past two years, the park has replaced paper maps and is monitoring forest fire risk with the Avenza maps software via smartphones.

Điểu Gát, a local, said, “Previously, patrolling was difficult because we had to follow paper maps. Now, the software on smartphones has made patrolling and inspection more convenient.”

The park has provided 22 binoculars and seven watch towers at important points so that the forces can easily observe the area.

Three water reservoirs store enough water and are ready to serve forest fire control.

In particular, the park also has flycams to help patrol forces scan high fire risk areas, thereby having timely and effective plans.

Director Hòa said that currently, not only the Bù Gia Mập National Park, but also many forest protection units in Bình Phước Province are striving their best to control forest fires.

The most important work is education to raise people's awareness on the issue, he said. — VNS