Protection and prevention of forest fires in Ham Thuan Bac

Identifying forest fire risk areas

Ham Thuan Bac district currently has about 65,800 hectares of forest, of which over 37,400 hectares are protective forests and over 28,300 hectares are production forests. Due to weather and terrain characteristics, some areas in Ham Thuan Bac district are identified as key areas with high risk of forest fires. These are areas adjacent to agricultural land of people with high risk of fire due to activities such as slash-and-burn and burning of vegetation that can spread into the forest. Dipterocarp forests are one of the common forest types in Binh Thuan, often losing leaves in the dry season, dry vegetation, easy to catch fire and spread quickly when there is a fire. Places with difficult terrain including forest areas located in high mountains, steep slopes, and difficult terrain can also cause difficulties in fire prevention and fighting and increase the risk of forest fires. Areas near residential areas or roads can easily catch fire due to human activities and travel, such as throwing cigarette butts, lighting fires, etc. Conduct a review, identify, and zone key forest fire areas in areas with high risk of fire to supplement and adjust appropriate and effective forest fire prevention and fighting plans. Identifying and zoning key areas with risk of fire is the basis for functional forces to concentrate resources, strengthen inspection, supervision, and deploy effective fire prevention and fighting measures.

Since the beginning of the year, the district has inspected, detected and administratively handled 5 violations of the Forestry Law, a decrease of 4 cases compared to the same period last year and 2 violations carried over from 2024, thereby handling and confiscating 3,694 m³ of wood of all kinds. Thanks to the district's enhanced forest fire prevention and control work, in the first quarter of 2025, the district only recorded a few small fires on the ground vegetation without causing major damage to forest resources. The district will implement the approved plans and plans for deforestation and forest fire prevention and control in 2025. Strengthen inspection and strict management to minimize deforestation and illegal encroachment of forestry land. In addition, the plan for planting and caring for trees under the Project "planting one billion trees in the period of 2021-2025" will continue to be effectively implemented in the district.

Strengthen forest protection measures

Currently, the weather is entering the peak of the hot season, so the district's forest protection forces have been implementing many measures to prevent forest fires, in order to protect the forest area from the risk of spreading fires due to the dry and hot weather. Accordingly, the district's forest rangers and forest protection forces regularly increase patrols and control people entering and leaving the forest, especially in key areas with high risk of fire. Arrange 24/7 checkpoints at forest protection stations to monitor and promptly respond to situations. Develop and promulgate plans for forest protection, forest fire prevention and fighting, and implement measures to reduce flammable materials in the forest. Conduct firebreak plowing in forest areas at high risk of fire and mobilize people living near forests to sign a commitment to prevent and fight forest fires, not to burn gardens, not to cook and not to bring objects that generate fire into the forest... Forest protection forces and forest owners regularly monitor and update weather developments, flammable materials under the forest canopy and inform people about forest fire levels so that they can respond promptly. At the same time, identify key areas at high risk of forest fires and prepare forces and means to participate in fire fighting when forest fires occur. Regularly organize training for forest rangers and forest protection forces to raise awareness and actions of the community in forest fire prevention and control...

Thanks to the above efforts, forest protection in Ham Thuan Bac district has been actively implemented with the participation of authorities at all levels, forest owners and communities. Measures have been implemented synchronously, from management, control to forest fire prevention, to protect and sustainably develop local forest resources.

Source: https://baobinhthuan.com.vn/bao-ve-va-phong-chong-chay-rung-o-ham-thuan-bac-129575.html