These days, large areas of undergrowth beneath the forest canopy are being cleared to reduce the risk of wildfires. Along the roads leading to the villages, forest fire warning signs have been erected since the beginning of the dry season. Loudspeakers in the villages continuously broadcast warnings during peak hot weather days. Dân Hóa currently has over 35,000 hectares of forest land, with a forest cover rate exceeding 76%. The majority of this area is natural forest located on steep hills and mountains, with many areas bordering planted forests owned by local people, so the risk of fire is always present during the hot season.
Mr. Truong Cong Thang, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dan Hoa commune, said: "Right from the beginning of the dry season, the commune has developed a plan for forest fire prevention and control; assigned forces to monitor the area, increased patrols, disseminated information, and organized the clearing of undergrowth in areas with a high risk of fire. The locality pays special attention to the 'four on-the-spot' principle, promoting the role of grassroots forest protection teams to promptly handle situations when fires occur."
 |
| Forest fire prevention and control drill - Photo: QN |
Major Truong Khanh Son, Deputy Commander of the Military Command of Dan Hoa commune, said that the unit had proactively advised the Party Committee and the People's Committee of the commune to develop a plan for coordinated forest management and protection.
When the forest fire alert level reaches level III or higher, mobile militia and local militia forces are organized into patrol teams to closely monitor high-risk areas to promptly detect and prevent cases of bringing fire into the forest.
"We have identified the people as the core of forest fire prevention efforts. The forces have coordinated to go to each village and each household to disseminate information about the Forestry Law and encourage people to sign commitments not to violate regulations on forest protection and forest fire prevention and control," said Major Truong Khanh Son.
In Khe Cay village, many residents have changed their fire-using habits after awareness campaigns by authorities. Previously, clearing vegetation with fire or burning fields according to old customs still occurred in some areas. But in recent years, people have become more cautious when entering the forest during the hot season. After being educated by authorities, the villagers have proactively cooperated with local government to protect the forest.
"People are more careful now; anyone clearing land or handling vegetation reports to the village authorities for further warnings. Villagers also remind each other not to bring fire into the forest during hot weather," shared Ms. Ho Thi Khu.
The biggest challenge in Dan Hoa is that most of the forest area is located on steep, remote terrain, far from residential areas. If a fire occurs, specialized fire trucks are almost unable to reach the scene. Many areas require hours of walking along the mountain slopes to access.
Mr. Le Van Toan, Head of the Dan Hoa Forest Ranger Station, said: “Most previous forest fires stemmed from the carelessness of people using fire in the forest or clearing land for farming. Therefore, from the beginning of the year, we assigned forest rangers to coordinate with local authorities to go to each village to raise awareness among people about protecting the forest. Thanks to effective prevention efforts, there have been no forest fires in the area since the beginning of the year.”
According to Mr. Toan, given the unique terrain of Dan Hoa, the top priority for the forest rangers remains "prevention is key." In the event of a fire, the forces will deploy "firebreaks and firebreaks" using mobile equipment such as lawn mowers, blowers, and chainsaws to prevent the fire from spreading to other areas.
Quang Ngoc
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/xa-hoi/202605/giu-rung-mua-nang-nong-ffd7bd5/
Comment (0)