Forest protection forces clear grasses and leaves to reduce flammable materials on Phú Cường Mountain in An Giang Province’s Tịnh Biên Town amid a threat of forest fires during the ongoing dry season. – VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Sang

AN GIANG – An Giang Province has increased its forest fire warning level to fifth, the highest and indicating an extremely dangerous threat, because of prolonged dry weather.

The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province has nearly 16,820ha of forests and forest-zoned land, and identified nearly 7,370ha as facing fire threats.

Tịnh Biên Town alone has more than 2,900ha of the latter in places such as Trà Sư and Nhơn Hưng cajuput forests, Phú Cường Mountain, Đất Mountains, Nhọn Mountain, Kakô hill, and Latina-Tà Lọt area.

Thái Văn Nhân, director of the province management board of special-use and protective forests, said to combat forest fires this year, the board has made fire breaks and roads for patrolling in forests in Tịnh Biên Town and Châu Đốc City.

To protect special-use and protective forests in mountainous areas, it has cut grasses, made fire breaks and consolidated water supply, he said.

It has created facilities and signed contracts for protecting forests in 194 locations with various individuals and organisations.

The province has put police, army and rangers personnel and forest owners on alert to fight fires.

Nguyễn Thị Minh Thuý, deputy chairwoman of the province, said the People’s Committee has ordered the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, local administrations and other relevant units to effectively implement plans for preventing and fighting forest fires.

They should expand oversight of fire-prone forests, have personnel standing by around the clock to protect forests, ban activities that could spark forest fires, and punish people violating forest protection regulations, she added.

The province had 13 forests fires that affected 10ha last year, but all were extinguished promptly and did not cause severe damage. – VNS