Forestry officials from Area 6, An Minh commune, inspect the condition of forest fire prevention and control equipment. Photo: THUY TRANG
An Giang province has approximately 99,471 hectares of forest and forestry land, of which 82,821 hectares are forested land and 16,649 hectares are non-forested land, with a forest cover rate of 8.8%. The forests in An Giang are diverse and abundant, encompassing many ecosystems such as: coastal mangrove ecosystems stretching from Ha Tien to the border with Ca Mau province; broadleaf mountain natural forest ecosystems mainly distributed in hilly and mountainous areas and islands such as Phu Quoc, Kien Hai, Tho Chau, Hon Nghe, Kien Luong, Ba Chuc, Tri Ton, Tinh Bien, Thoi Son, O Lam, Co To, Nui Cam…; and acid sulfate soil forest ecosystems distributed in low-lying, acid sulfate soil areas in the communes of Van Khanh, U Minh Thuong, Binh Giang, Binh Son, Hon Dat, Vinh Dieu, Giang Thanh, Thoi Son, Vinh Te…
According to the An Giang Forest Protection Department, in 2025, 15 forest fires occurred in the province, affecting an area of 24.71 hectares. The main causes of the fires were careless use of fire by local people, entering the forest to collect honey, burning fields for cultivation, and clearing forest land for illegal occupation. When forest fires occurred, forest management units closely coordinated with forest rangers, relevant agencies, and local authorities to promptly implement measures to access and handle the fire, ensuring that it was completely contained and extinguished.
Forecasts for 2026 indicate that, due to the impact of climate change, the weather will be highly unpredictable, potentially leading to prolonged heatwaves. In particular, due to traditional farming practices such as clearing weeds and vines, burning fields for fishing, charcoal burning, and encroachment on forests and the misuse of forest land in some localities, the risk of forest fires in An Giang is increasing.
Deputy Head of the An Giang Forest Protection Department, Le Thanh Cong, said: “With the motto 'prevention is key,' right before the start of the 2026 dry season, the provincial forest protection force proactively organized working groups to work with forest management units and local authorities to review and reassess forest fire prevention and control plans for 2026 in various areas; and took the lead in coordinating with other forces to develop forest fire prevention and control plans for the province in 2026. In addition, we advised on strengthening the Provincial Steering Committee for Fire Prevention, Control and Rescue, and developing a coordination mechanism between the forest protection force, police, and military in responding to and extinguishing forest fires.”
In forested areas, the People's Committees of the communes have established forest fire prevention and fighting teams, with 1,448 members, the core force being local militia and Youth Union members, ready to respond when a fire breaks out. Forest management units have also built specialized forest protection forces and on-site forest fire prevention and fighting teams, with approximately 820 people.
Mr. Tran Van Thang, Deputy Director of U Minh Thuong National Park, said that U Minh Thuong National Park has a diverse melaleuca forest ecosystem, one of the most easily flammable forest types. It is estimated that about 1,840 hectares are at high risk of forest fires. To proactively prevent and control forest fires during the dry season, U Minh Thuong National Park has implemented many focused and targeted measures, especially strengthening patrols to prevent illegal entry into the forest and proactively developing forest fire prevention and control plans. At the end of the rainy season, U Minh Thuong National Park proactively retains water to maintain humidity and limit forest fires. “During the peak months of the dry season, when the risk of forest fires is high, the unit assigns personnel to be on standby to promptly handle any potential fire situations. We organize clearing of undergrowth, reinforce sluices and dams to maintain humidity in the forest throughout the dry season; and maintain and repair structures built for forest fire prevention and control,” Mr. Thang said.
In addition to proactively strengthening and building up the force, based on the type of forest and the actual requirements of each locality, forest management units carry out repairs, maintenance, and procurement of new equipment for forest fire prevention and control. Forest rangers will coordinate with the government and forest management units to organize training courses and drills for forest protection forces and forest fire prevention and control teams; and disseminate knowledge about forest fire prevention and control to the community, highlighting the dangers of forest fires.
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/ra-soat-hoan-thien-phuong-an-phong-chong-chay-rung-a471422.html
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