40 hectares of forest are burning fiercely

Dozens of hectares of production forest in Tran Van Thoi district were engulfed in a massive fire, with numerous forces involved in controlling it, but the blaze has yet to be extinguished, as of the afternoon of April 10th.

At over 12:30 PM, a fire broke out in the 3-4 year old melaleuca forest area of Farm 402 ( thuộc Military Region 9) in Khanh Binh Tay commune, Tran Van Thoi district, spreading to the surrounding area. Strong winds caused smoke to rise dozens of meters high, along with embers and ash, flying over a wide area, posing a risk of spreading to the adjacent 100-hectare melaleuca forest.

40 hectares of forest are burning fiercely. — Authorities are working to bring the fire under control. Video : *An Minh*

Approximately 200 soldiers, firefighters, and local forces are working urgently to control the blaze. Mr. Phan Hoang Vu, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ca Mau province, said that extinguishing the fire was difficult due to strong winds and the intense heat. The fire area is far from the main road, making it difficult for specialized vehicles to access.

"Currently, the forces are trying to control the fire, spraying water to slow it down, and deploying personnel to be on standby from a distance to handle the incident and ensure the safety of about 20 households located about 3 km from the fire scene," Mr. Vu said, adding that in a worst-case scenario, the residents will be evacuated.

A column of smoke rising dozens of meters high severely hampered the visibility of firefighters. Photo: An Minh — A column of smoke rising dozens of meters high severely hampered the visibility of firefighters. Photo: *An Minh*

As of 5:20 PM, the fire was still not under control. Deputy Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People's Committee, Le Van Su, was directly supervising firefighting efforts at the scene.

The area currently on fire is a regenerated forest after logging, with a total production forest area of approximately 150 hectares. Farm 402, under the management of the Logistics Department, Military Region 9, mainly grows melaleuca trees, specializes in raising freshwater fish, and engages in agricultural production. The drought has caused some canals in the area to dry up, making firefighting efforts difficult.

Currently, the entire province has over 29,000 hectares of freshwater forests affected by drought, of which more than 11,000 hectares are under fire warning levels IV and V. This area is mainly concentrated in the forest areas of Tran Hoi and Khanh Binh Tay communes (Tran Van Thoi district) and the Southwest Vietnam Forestry Research and Experiment Center.

An Minh

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