Preserve forests during the dry season.

As the dry season peaks, the melaleuca forests in Hon Dat and Binh Son face a high risk of fire. Forest rangers and forest management units are implementing various forest fire prevention and control measures based on the "four on-the-spot" principle.

High risk of fire

In late March, the scorching sun and high temperatures caused the water in the melaleuca forests of Binh Son commune, Hon Dat district, to evaporate rapidly. To reach key areas prone to forest fires during the dry season, the working group from the Provincial Steering Committee for Fire Prevention, Firefighting, and Rescue had to use motorboats to navigate through numerous canals. Visually, it was clear that the water levels in the canals within the forest had significantly decreased.

Inspecting fire prevention and firefighting equipment at Forest Protection Management Station No. 2, Hon Dat Commune. Photo: THUY TRANG

According to Mr. Ngo Thanh Nam, Deputy Director of the An Giang Forest Management Board, Region I, the unit is currently managing approximately 4,195 hectares of flooded melaleuca forest in the two communes of Hon Dat and Binh Son. A large portion of this forest area is leased to local people and businesses. Most of the forest in this area consists of young melaleuca trees, with the vegetation mainly consisting of Euphorbia hirta, Terminalia chebula, and Euphorbia hirta. The undergrowth is dense and dries quickly during prolonged periods of hot weather and high temperatures. Surrounding the forest are rice fields and agricultural land used by local people. During harvest season, farmers burn fields and process straw, easily causing fires to spread into the forest.

The dry season is also when bees return to build nests in large numbers, and people go into the forest to collect honey. Carelessness with fire can lead to wildfires. Years of experience have shown that most fires occur in the undergrowth, spreading across the ground. Areas such as sub-zones 22, 23, and 24A in Hon Dat commune and sub-zone 21 in Binh Son commune, as well as land leased to households and areas bordering residential land, are identified as high-risk areas prone to forest fires.

Room is the main thing.

Mr. Ngo Thanh Nam stated that, with the motto "prevention is key," the An Giang Forest Management Board, Region I, has assigned and deployed forest fire prevention and fighting forces into numerous teams on duty 24/7 at fire watch posts and watchtowers; maintaining a patrol force to strictly control and prevent strangers and locals from entering the forest to collect honey or fish. Along vulnerable areas, the unit has placed many warning signs indicating the level of forest fire risk so that people are aware and limit their entry into the forest. Equipment for fire prevention and fighting, from fire pumps, water suction motors, hundreds of hoses to manual tools such as buckets, machetes, and shovels, is prepared and regularly maintained to ensure mobility in case of an emergency.

For the units receiving forest management contracts, fire prevention preparations are also given attention and implemented. Mr. Thai Van Mo, Director of Hon Dat Forestry Company, the unit receiving forest management contracts in Hon Dat commune, said: “During the peak of the dry season, the forest protection force organizes daily patrols, guarding and monitoring at the observation post from 8 am to 4 pm to promptly detect sources of fire, report to the command center and alert the nearest forces for rescue when a fire occurs. The company proactively reinforces and repairs the dike system to prevent water leakage in the forest, avoiding water depletion that causes drought leading to forest fires. In addition, the company organizes clearing of undergrowth and flammable materials to ensure clear visibility.”

Mr. Duong Van Se, a member of the Forest Protection Team at Hon Dat Forestry Station, shared: “During the dry season, our work is much more difficult. We have to man checkpoints, monitor for fires, patrol, and educate and remind people to raise their awareness of fire prevention. Forest fires not only cause damage to resources but also have a significant impact on the environment and people's livelihoods. Therefore, we always determine that we must be ready and not be caught off guard in any situation.”

Forest fire prevention and protection are not only the responsibility of forest rangers, forest owners, and local authorities, but also a shared responsibility of the entire community. When each citizen raises awareness and joins hands in preventing and fighting forest fires, the forests will be safely protected from the increasingly harsh challenges of climate change.

THUY TRANG

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/giu-rung-cao-diem-mua-kho-a482519.html