Six provinces declare top forest fire risk alert

June 20, 2016 - 10:53

Baking hot temperatures have raised the forest fire warning in six provinces to level 5 – the extremely dangerous level, according to the Vietnam Forest Administration under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. 

The administration has urged authorities of Phú Thọ in the north as well as Hà Tĩnh, Khánh Hòa, Nghệ An, Quảng Bình and Quảng Ngãi in the centre to take precautionary measures and prepare firefighters. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Baking hot temperatures have raised the forest fire warning in six provinces to level 5 – the extremely dangerous level, according to the Vietnam Forest Administration under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. 

The administration has urged authorities of Phú Thọ in the north as well as Hà Tĩnh, Khánh Hòa, Nghệ An, Quảng Bình and Quảng Ngãi in the centre to take precautionary measures and prepare firefighters. They were asked to deploy more forest rangers to guide locals on safe farming practices, zone off areas where slash-and-burn practice is strictly forbidden, and keep strict control on forest entry. 

On June 13 three forest fires were recorded in Nghệ An’s Thanh Chuong district. They were promptly dealt with but still caused damage. Another fire, which took hold on peat land in Cà Mau’s U Minh district on June 10, has yet to be extinguished, with damage mounting to VNĐ100 million (US$4,500) so far. Locals said the fire is now smoldering in the peaty soil about one metre under the ground’s surface. —VNS

 

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