Forest management and protection forces under the An Giang Forest Management Board - Area II participate in extinguishing forest fires at To Mountain, O Lam commune. Photo: THUY TRANG
Currently, the Forest Protection Department of Region I manages over 16,819 hectares of forest and forestry-planned land, spread across 13 forested communes and wards in the Tri Ton, Tinh Bien areas and surrounding regions. This includes over 11,445 hectares of protection forest, 1,832 hectares of special-use forest, and approximately 3,542 hectares of production forest. The majority of this forest area is concentrated in hilly and mountainous regions, playing a crucial role in protection, environmental conservation, biodiversity preservation, tourism development, and ensuring national defense and security in the border area.
Besides the protection forests and special-use forests managed by the An Giang Forest Management Board - Region II, the area also has many production forests managed by businesses, organizations, and people, such as the Melaleuca forests of Binh Minh, Vinh Chau, Nhon Hung, and Ba Bai… These are all areas with a high risk of fire during the peak of the dry season if not strictly controlled.
According to Mr. Huynh Thai My, Deputy Head of the Forest Protection Department Region I, since the end of 2025, the unit has proactively developed numerous plans and strategies in coordination with local authorities, forest owners, and relevant agencies to implement forest protection measures. To date, 100% of forest owners in the area have completed the development of forest fire prevention and control plans as required.
Forest rangers, in coordination with local authorities, have strengthened the steering committees for fire prevention, firefighting, and rescue at the commune level. To date, all 13 communes and wards with forests have established and strengthened their steering committees, with a total of 412 members. Local authorities have also established 147 fire prevention and control teams in hamlets and villages, with over 1,130 members, contributing to the implementation of the "four on-the-spot" principle in handling forest fire situations.
To proactively respond to the risk of forest fires, the Forest Protection Department of Region I organized numerous on-site inspections in key forest areas such as the Tra Su Melaleuca Forest Landscape Protection Area, Tan Tuyen Melaleuca Forest, Nhon Hung, Ba Bai, and Vinh Gia Melaleuca Forest… Through these inspections, the authorities reminded forest owners to regularly maintain firefighting equipment, replenish water sources in high-risk areas, and increase patrols and monitoring during the peak dry season.
The Regional Forest Protection Unit I coordinated 18 awareness campaigns to disseminate regulations on forest protection, warn of forest fire risks during the dry season, and encourage people to raise awareness when using fire near forests. The unit also collaborated with press and media agencies to produce numerous reports on forest protection and fire prevention and control, aiming to raise community awareness in protecting forest resources.
Representing the forest management unit, Mr. Thai Van Nhan - Director of the An Giang Forest Management Board - Area II, said that during the peak of the dry season, the unit maintains 100% of its personnel on standby to ensure forest fire prevention and control in key areas with a high risk of fire. For protective forests and special-use forests in mountainous areas, the unit clears patrol routes and firebreaks in key areas to facilitate patrolling and firefighting in case of emergencies. At the same time, they inspect and require contracted households to install water tanks and reserves for forest firefighting.
In the lowland forests, units focus on clearing undergrowth, cleaning canals and ditches, setting up patrol points, and preparing all necessary firefighting equipment and facilities according to the approved plan; strictly managing the burning of grass and clearing of land for farming during the dry season by local people. Firefighting equipment and vehicles are always ensured to be in the best working condition.
From the beginning of 2026 to the present, 12 fires have occurred in the area managed by the Forest Protection Department of Region I, affecting a total area of approximately 11.2 hectares. However, thanks to early detection and timely firefighting efforts, the fires mainly burned undergrowth, bushes, vines, and dry grass, causing no damage to forest trees or planted forests.
Despite the achievements, forest protection and fire prevention and control still face difficulties. The management area is vast, spanning many hilly and mountainous regions, while the current staffing is limited to only 5 out of 12 allocated civil servants. Furthermore, some households living near the forest still secretly clear undergrowth during the dry season; and the presence of people from other areas entering the forest to collect honey still poses a potential risk of forest fires.
According to Mr. Huynh Thai My, in the coming time, the Forest Protection Department of Region I will continue to strengthen coordination with local authorities, forest owners, and functional forces to implement comprehensive solutions for forest protection and fire prevention and control. Along with that, they will intensify propaganda and warnings about the risk of forest fires; regularly inspect and review forces and equipment to be ready to promptly handle emerging situations and minimize damage caused by forest fires.
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/giu-rung-giua-cao-diem-mua-kho-a485587.html
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