Proactively prevent and fight forest fires according to the '4 on-site' motto

Inspecting forest fire prevention and control work in Nghi Loc district. Photo: Van Truong.

Ready to put out forest fires

June 28, 2022, in hamlet 2, Dien Phu commune, districtDien Chau, a fire broke out in a pine and cajuput forest. Due to the hot weather and strong winds, the fire spread quickly to the surrounding area. Upon receiving the information, the Forest Ranger Force coordinated with the Army to mobilize nearly 200 people to fight the forest fire. After 2 hours, the forces promptly extinguished the forest fire.

Firebreak in Xuan Thanh commune, Yen Thanh has been treated. Photo: Van Truong.

Previously, on June 13, a forest fire suddenly broke out in an acacia forest in Thanh Luong commune, Thanh Chuong district. The Forest Rangers coordinated with Fire Fighting and Rescue Team No. 7, mobilized fire trucks, human resources and specialized equipment to quickly arrive at the scene, deployed fire fighting and extinguished the forest fire to prevent it from spreading. Since the beginning of the year, there have been 5 fires in the province in Quy Chau, Dien Chau, Quynh Luu, Nghi Loc, a decrease of 8 fires compared to the same period in 2021.

According to Nghe An Forest Protection Department: Causes of the incidentsforest fireIn the past, local people near the forest were subjective in the hot weather; they set fire to the forest to treat the ground cover, catch bees... Not to mention that currently, the ground cover area under the pine forest canopy is still quite large, 4,000/16,000 ha, mainly only forest protection management units and forest owners have treated the ground cover, the remaining communes have not been able to treat much due to lack of funds, the risk of forest fires is high.

Provincial leaders, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Forest Protection Department inspected fire-fighting equipment and tools at the Northern Nghe An Forest Protection Management Board. Photo: Van Truong.

In some districts, firebreaks have not been maintained, so when a forest fire occurs, it can easily spread to other areas. Not to mention, the command of forest fire fighting at the scene of some fires is still confusing. The investigation and handling of violations of forest fire-causing behavior in forest fires is still low.

24/7 forest fire watch

These days, at the pine forest of Hoa Son commune, Do Luong district, we see forest protection forces guarding the forest fire on the watchtower. This watchtower is over 10 meters high, monitoring the forest fire for a large pine forest area including the communes of Hoa Son, Bai Son, Thinh Son, Giang Son Dong and a part of Yen Thanh district.

Monitoring forest fires at the watchtower of Nam Giang commune (Nam Dan). Photo: Van Truong.

A forest ranger on duty at the watchtower in Hoa Son commune said: At this time of peak heat, it is very difficult to guard the watchtower, however, we try to complete our tasks, taking turns on duty 24/7 to promptly detect forest fires and report and handle incidents promptly.

Mr. Vo Si Lam - Head of the Do Luong District Forest Protection Department said: To proactively prevent forest fires, right from the beginning of the dry season, the district has completed the Commune-level Forest Fire Prevention and Fighting Command Board, accordingly, established forest fire prevention and fighting teams with the motto "4 on-site". The Forest Protection Department regularly coordinates closely with departments and local authorities to increase patrols, control, and strictly handle violations of the Forestry Law.

Arrange a permanent force around the clock to receive information about forest fires from the grassroots, thereby promptly handling situations that occur. In addition, Do Luong Forest Protection Department has advised the District People's Committee to organize armed forces units, forest owners and local authorities to sign a commitment to mobilize forces and coordinate operations when forest fires occur.

Quynh Luu district has a pine forest area of ​​over 1,600 hectares, bordering Yen Thanh and Dien Chau districts, with a high risk of forest fires. At this time, forest rangers from the Northern Nghe An Forest Protection Management Board, in conjunction with the Forest Rangers, have increased fire monitoring and inspection in the pine forests.

Provincial leaders inspect the forest fire early warning system using cameras of the Northern Nghe An Protective Forest Management Board. Photo: Van Truong

The households that are contracted here both exploit pine resin and are on duty to prevent fires, ready to put out fires on the spot when an incident occurs. Notably, since the beginning of this year's fire season, the Northern Nghe An Forest Protection Management Board has put into use a camera system to monitor and prevent forest fires in Ngoc Son commune.

Mr. Tran Van Son - Head of the Northern Nghe An Forest Protection Management Board said: The task of this camera system is to monitor the situation of forest areas 24/7 and transmit signals to the Len Ngoi Forest Protection Station in Ngoc Son commune, helping the on-duty force to detect unusual events and forest fires so that they can be handled promptly.

In Dien Chau district, some communes with pine forests have set up checkpoints to control people entering and leaving the forest. These checkpoints are always staffed 24/7, which has helped reduce pine forest fires during the hot season.

In particular, Mobile Forest Ranger and Forest Fire Prevention and Fighting Teams No. 1, 2, and 3 regularly maintain the number of personnel on duty, coordinate, and support localities and forest owners to effectively participate in forest fire fighting in the whole province.

Proactive solutions to prevent and fight forest fires

Mr. Bach Quoc Dung - Head of the Provincial Forest Protection Department added: To be proactive in forest fire prevention, Nghe An has so far proactively cleared and burned 1,203 hectares of combustible materials, and treated and cleared vegetation on 3,537 hectares (accounting for 32% of the province's total area).

The pine forest managed by the Northern Nghe An Forest Protection Management Board in Ngoc Son commune (Quynh Luu) has completed the treatment of the vegetation. Photo: Van Truong

Repaired 163 km of firebreaks, built 27 km of new firebreaks in production forests bordering natural forests. Renovated 9 fire watchtowers, repaired 20 fire watchtowers. Up to now, the whole province has 2 fire monitoring camera systems, 184 wind blowers, 79 brush cutters, 146 chainsaws, water pumps, 170 portable speakers...

Previously, the Forest Protection Department established 3 inspection teams in 8 key districts such as Do Luong, Nam Dan, Nghi Loc, Quynh Luu, Dien Chau, Yen Thanh, and Hoang Mai town. Through inspection, we will proactively remove difficulties and shortcomings in forest fire prevention and control work in localities and forest owners to have measures to direct localities and forest owners to effectively carry out forest fire prevention and control work.

At this time, the Forest Protection Department and forest owners organize and maintain a 24/7 forest fire information system from the provincial level to the grassroots level. In key forest areas with high risk of forest fires, patrol forces are arranged to closely monitor people entering and leaving the forest and the use of fire in the forest and along the forest edges to control fire sources and heat sources that can cause forest fires.

Treating the epidermis in the pine forest of Xuan Thanh commune (Yen Thanh). Photo: Van Truong

In localities, there are hundreds of village-level teams with a total of over 6,000 people always on duty to fight forest fires. Localities and forest owners regularly operate and maintain fire-fighting equipment; ready to fight fires when situations arise.

According to forecasts, the weather will continue to be hot and dry, prolonged, and have many unusual developments. The Forestry Department will continue to strengthen propaganda, raise awareness and responsibility in forest fire prevention and fighting among the people; inspect and supervise forest fire prevention and fighting. Coordinate and promote the "4 on-site" motto to minimize the risk of forest fires.