Nghe An province intensifies inspections of forest fire prevention and control efforts.
To proactively prevent and control forest fires, from April 21st to 30th, the Forest Protection Department established three working groups to inspect the implementation of forest fire prevention and control plans in key districts with pine forests.
On April 24th, a delegation led by Mr. Pham Duc Thanh, Deputy Head of the Forest Protection Department, arrived in Do Luong district to directly inspect, direct, and supervise the implementation of urgent forest fire prevention and control measures in the locality.
According to a report from the People's Committee of Do Luong District, the entire district currently has approximately 2,000 hectares of pine forest, a type of forest that is easily flammable and heavily affected during the hot season. To ensure safety, the district has strengthened the fire prevention and control force from the commune to the village level; at the same time, Do Luong Forestry Company Limited has also established specialized teams to coordinate the implementation of tasks.
In addition, the dissemination of laws on forest protection and fire prevention has been intensified among the population, contributing to raising awareness of forest resource protection. The District Forest Protection Department has advised on the establishment of the Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention and Control at all levels, and has developed and implemented forest fire prevention and control plans that are closely aligned with local realities.
The inspection team conducted an on-site inspection at Do Luong Forestry One-Member Limited Company. The company has developed a specific forest fire prevention and control plan, organized a local forest firefighting force, and prepared all necessary equipment and tools such as blowers, machetes, fire extinguishers, etc. Over 200 hectares of pine forest have been cleared and treated, and 5km of firebreaks have been repaired.
Upon inspection, the working group highly appreciated the efforts of Do Luong district and forest owners in forest fire prevention and control. However, some shortcomings remain, with many pine forest areas still having thick undergrowth beneath the canopy that has not been cleared.
To ensure absolute safety, the delegation requested that local authorities continue to intensify propaganda efforts and strictly prohibit bringing fire and flammable materials into the forest during the hot season. In addition, they should organize 24/7 monitoring and rapid response in case of fire; closely monitor the situation through the surveillance camera system at fire watch towers.
Immediately after completing their work in Do Luong district, the Forest Protection Department's working group continued to inspect the forest fire prevention and control work in Nghi Loc district, one of the localities with a large area of pine forests, bordering many neighboring districts and facing a high risk of forest fires during the hot season.
According to a report from the Nghi Loc District People's Committee, the district currently has nearly 500 hectares of pine forest. To proactively prevent and control forest fires, the Nghi Loc Protective Forest Management Board has implemented many specific solutions such as: repairing more than 20 firebreaks, clearing undergrowth on an area of more than 200 hectares, and preparing all necessary firefighting equipment. At the same time, firefighting equipment has also been fully prepared, including 8 blowers, chainsaws, binoculars, machetes, sickles, etc.
The working group's assessment indicates that forest fire prevention and control work in Nghi Loc district has been implemented synchronously and effectively from the district level down to communes, villages, and forest owners, following the "four on-the-spot" principle: on-the-spot command, on-the-spot forces, on-the-spot equipment, and on-the-spot logistics. However, many areas of undergrowth beneath pine forests and firebreaks remain uncleared, leaving the risk of forest fires high.
Given the above situation, the working group recommended that the Nghi Loc District People's Committee and the Protective Forest Management Board continue to strengthen forest patrols and inspections, develop specific response plans, and deploy personnel on duty 24/7 in high-risk areas. In addition, equipment, tools, and personnel should always be in a state of readiness to promptly detect and handle any fires.
According to Mr. Bach Quoc Dung, Head of the Forest Protection Department, from April 21st to 30th, three working groups will conduct inspections in key districts with large pine forest areas such as Do Luong, Yen Thanh, Dien Chau, Hung Nguyen, Nam Dan, Hoang Mai town, and Quynh Luu. The goal is to comprehensively review forest fire response preparations, assess the readiness of forces, equipment, and action plans at the local level.
The Forest Protection Department requests that localities continue to strictly implement the "four on-the-spot" principle, maintaining 24/7 duty forces at the offices of the Forest Fire Prevention and Control Command at all levels, Forest Protection Units, forest owners, and fire watchtowers. The forest fire surveillance camera system needs to be operated continuously, especially during peak hot weather days.
Furthermore, it is necessary to strengthen propaganda and mobilize the public to actively detect and report violations of laws on forest management, protection, and development. Relevant agencies also need to conduct thorough investigations, verifications, and strictly handle cases of forest fires. Regular drills, reviews, and adjustments to forest fire prevention and control plans are also required to promptly address shortcomings in implementation.
