Xuan Mai improves forest fire prevention skills

On the morning of November 25, more than 120 people participated in a forest fire prevention and fighting drill in Nui Be village (Xuan Mai commune) with many realistic situations. Local people gained more skills in prevention and fighting.

Real-life situations

The fire broke out, local people responded promptly but it was beyond their capacity. Video : Kim Nhuệ

On the morning of November 25, Mr. Le Van Long went into the forest to burn and clear the undergrowth to prepare for the new crop under the forest canopy. Due to the dry weather, the fire broke out and spread quickly. Mr. Long called on neighboring forest owners to use knives, hoes, shovels, and tree branches to put out the fire, but the fire continued to burn high. Faced with this situation, he immediately called to report and ask for support.

Upon receiving the information, Nui Be Village Chief Le Van Anh assigned people to ring gongs and drums to warn and mobilize shock troops carrying forest protection equipment. Upon approaching the fire, the village forces divided into many groups and spread out in different directions, using machetes, hoes, shovels, and tree branches to contain and limit the fire. However, due to the dry weather in Hanoi , the fire spread very quickly and was difficult to control.

The shock force of Xuan Mai commune arrived in time to put out the fire, but the fire continued to flare up. Video: Kim Nhuệ

Faced with the complicated situation, the Head of Nui Be Village reported to the People's Committee of Xuan Mai Commune to increase the force. Just a few minutes later, the commune's disaster prevention shock force arrived at the scene, carrying blowers, chainsaws, and fire extinguishers. The teams approached both sides of the fire to open firebreaks and extinguish the fire directly, and at the same time reported to Forest Ranger Station No. 8 to mobilize more forces and equipment to fight the forest fire. During the fire fighting process, some people suffered from smoke inhalation; the commune's medical department immediately mobilized with ambulances, organized first aid on the spot, and took the victims to the rear.

Forest Ranger Station No. 8 promptly mobilized forces and vehicles to the scene to put out the fire. Video: Kim Nhuệ

Upon receiving the report of a forest fire, Forest Ranger Division No. 8 mobilized forces, vehicles and firefighting equipment to the scene, coordinated to extinguish the fire from three sides, avoiding windward direction, cutting firebreaks... After more than 60 minutes of coordination between forces, the simulated fire was completely controlled.

Many lessons and experiences

Forest owner Le Van Long said that burning vegetation during the dry season is very dangerous. Video: Kim Nhuệ

Speaking to reporters after the drill, forest owner Le Van Long said that burning the ground cover during the dry season is very dangerous and should only be done according to the instructions of the forest rangers. Mr. Long shared: “If a fire is accidentally caused, people must immediately report it to the village so that support forces can be mobilized in time. Just a few minutes of delay can cause it to be out of control.”

Nui Be Village Chief Le Van Anh said the most important thing is to approach the fire properly and mobilize forces promptly: “On-site forces must approach in the right direction, avoiding direct confrontation with the fire. The drill helps people practice this skill very effectively.”

Local forces play an important role in fighting forest fires as soon as they arise. Photo: Kim Nhuệ

From a professional perspective, Head of Forest Protection Department No. 8 Nguyen Van Mac assessed that the locality's handling of the situation was consistent with the current forest fire prevention and fighting plan: "The weather is dry, if a real fire occurs, the danger level is very high. It is very necessary for the locality to fully implement the steps from fire alarm, mobilizing forces, opening runways to using specialized equipment."

According to the Organizing Committee, through the exercise, many important experiences were drawn such as maintaining continuous communication between teams; skillfully using blowers, chainsaws, and pumps; ensuring safety for participating forces; especially absolutely not using fire to burn vegetation on dry weather days.

In the context of Hanoi continuously warning of the risk of forest fires in suburban districts, the exercise on the morning of November 25 in Xuan Mai commune is not only an annual task but also an important occasion to improve skills, increase initiative and strengthen coordination between forest owners - villages - communes - forest rangers. Forests can only be truly protected when each person realizes that fire prevention is always more important than fire fighting and any careless behavior can have unpredictable consequences.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/xuan-mai-nang-cao-ky-nang-phong-chong-chay-rung-724586.html