Thai Nguyen proactively prevents and fights forest fires

Forest fire fighting practice and training in Bang Van commune. (Photo: TUAN SON).

Bang Van is a mountainous commune located in the north of Thai Nguyen with a total area of over 13,294 hectares, of which forest land accounts for over 8,889 hectares. The forest land area is large but the traffic is difficult, many villages and hamlets do not have phone signal, so it is difficult to grasp information in forest management and protection here.

In early November, when the dry season had just begun, Bang Van commune proactively coordinated with Forest Ranger Station No. 3 to conduct forest fire prevention and fighting drills and training.

According to Forest Protection Department No. 3, the unit selected the practice site as a 0.3ha forest, a planted forest with reserves that have been cleared, preparing to process the vegetation to replant the forest in 2025, surrounded by many acacia and pine forests.

This is a common type of forest in the area, often at high risk of fire, so when practicing, the authorities and people are familiar with it, easily grasp and deploy prevention and fighting measures when a fire occurs in reality.

Through simulated situations suitable for local reality, participants have mastered safety knowledge, forest fire prevention and fighting measures and appropriate handling procedures for possible forest fire situations.

The area of Na Phac, Ngan Son, Bang Van communes bordering Cao Bang province has a popular tree species called pine. This is a tree with essential oils, which is flammable, and when there is a forest fire, it is extremely difficult to put out the fire.

Currently, in these communes, the weather has entered a prolonged dry period, with low humidity. The forest fire forecast level is at level 4, the dangerous level, and in some places it has reached level 5, the extremely dangerous level. The risk of forest fires can therefore occur in many planted and natural forest areas.

Head of Forest Ranger Unit No. 3 Doan Viet Hung said that the unit has assigned staff to prevent and fight forest fires according to the plan, ensuring 50% of the staff when the forest fire is forecast at level 4 and 100% of the staff when it is at level 5.

The unit also strengthens propaganda work on forest fire prevention to people through many forms through loudspeakers, village meetings, groups, social networking sites, etc.

The entire Thai Nguyen province currently has more than 557,000 hectares of forest, with a forest cover rate of more than 62%, of which many areas are pine forests and planted forests that are prone to catching fire in the dry season. Areas identified as having a high risk of forest fires are Ngan Son, Hiep Luc, Vo Nhai, Cho Moi...

In fact, in the first 3 months of this year, in the northern communes of Thai Nguyen province alone, there were more than 10 forest fires, causing damage to about 40 hectares of forest. The main causes of the fires were due to people in the forest using fire carelessly; handling vegetation for afforestation without supervision or monitoring; burning trash near the forest...

To protect the forest, right from the beginning of the dry season, the Thai Nguyen Provincial Forest Protection Department has developed plans, guided and directed localities to review and update key areas at risk of forest fires.

The unit, together with the Provincial Police and the Provincial Military Command, issued regulations on coordination between units, mobilizing more than 300 officers, soldiers, forest rangers and militiamen to be ready to respond when a forest fire occurs.

The Management Board of Nam Xuan Lac Species and Habitat Conservation Area and contracted households patrol and check the forest during the dry season. (Photo: TUAN SON).

Thai Nguyen province has also completed 100% of forest fire prevention and fighting teams in all villages and hamlets. The province has also directed to step up propaganda and warnings through loudspeaker systems, Zalo groups, and social networks.

Localities also completed the construction of warning signs and regulations on forest fire prevention and fighting in key areas.

Thai Nguyen Provincial Forest Rangers also use drones to detect early abnormalities in forests. This is an effective solution to quickly isolate areas with smoke and unusual heat, supporting timely handling and preventing fires from spreading.

According to Nguyen Hoang Tung, Deputy Director of Thai Nguyen Forest Protection Department, the weather is now entering the dry season. According to the forecast of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the dry months of 2025-2026 may see many prolonged dry spells over a large area, especially at the beginning of the dry season, posing a high risk of forest fires.

Faced with this situation, the Thai Nguyen Forest Protection Department has requested communes and wards to implement the principle of prevention first, fire fighting must be carried out early, from the grassroots. In particular, it is necessary to strictly control the use of fire in and near forests, and handle vegetation according to the instructions of specialized agencies.

Forest owners strictly manage assigned forests, deploy forest fire prevention and fighting on hot, dry days; regularly patrol and inspect forests.

Forest Protection Departments strengthen propaganda and raise awareness among the people. Actively monitor the weather, forecast and warn of forest fire risks to promptly have response plans for all situations. Assign forest fire prevention and fighting duties when forest fires are forecasted at level 3 or higher.

TUAN SON

Source: https://nhandan.vn/thai-nguyen-chu-dong-phong-chong-chay-rung-post928984.html