Nghe An 'activates' many plans to prevent and fight forest fires
In the recent days of intense heat, the risk of forest fires is high, so authorities in Nghe An have "activated" many measures to protect the forest.
Forest fire watch on a sunny day
These days, the heat is like fire, in Dien Phu commune, Dien Chau district, the People's Committee of the commune has "activated" the checkpoint right at the forest gate, the road to Xuan Duong lake to control people entering and leaving the forest. Mr. Thai Ba The - Chairman of Dien Phu commune People's Committee said: This checkpoint always has militia, commune police, and forestry officers on duty 24/7.
People entering and leaving the forest fire prevention and control checkpoints in Dien Phu and Dien Chau communes must declare their personal information and strictly prohibit bee hunting during the dry season. Every day, about 25-30 people enter the forest to exploit pine resin or take care of the farm.
These days, at the forest gate control post in Xuan Son hamlet, Dien Doai commune, the militia, commune police, and forestry officers are also working hard to protect the forest during the hot season.
Mr. Nguyen Khanh Duong - Chairman of Dien Doai Commune People's Committee said: The whole commune has 469 hectares of forest, including 181 hectares of pine forest, many areas have not been treated for vegetation, so the risk of forest fires is very high. In addition to the checkpoints at the forest gate, Dien Doai Commune leaders also regularly inspect forest fire prevention and fighting in many other forest areas to promptly detect and handle incidents when they occur.
Mr. Tang Van Luyen - Chairman of Dien Chau District People's Committee said:The district has over 2,000 hectares of pine forests. To reduce the risk of forest fires, the district has set up four checkpoints at the forest gates, including two in Dien Phu commune, one in Dien Doai commune, and one in Minh Chau commune.
The district directed the Dien Chau District Forest Rangers to coordinate with forest owners to clear dry vegetation under pine forests in some key fire-prone areas.
On this occasion, Dien Chau district also coordinated with organizations and unions to organize mobile propaganda on forest fire prevention and fighting in communes. In some communes, village and hamlet cadres in Dien Chau district even rode motorbikes and used loudspeakers to weave through village roads and alleys to propagate forest fire prevention and fighting.
Similarly, in Quyet mountain area, Trung Do ward, Vinh city, there are 3 checkpoints to control people entering and leaving the forest. There are always forest rangers and related forces on duty to control people bringing fire into the forest.
In Do Luong district, forest rangers have organized forces to guard forest fires and are on duty 24/7, monitoring camera images transmitted to the server located at Do Luong District Forest Protection Department, promptly detecting if a forest fire occurs, promptly mobilizing forces to respond and extinguish the fire.
Mr. Vo Si Lam - Head of the Forest Protection Department of Do Luong district added: Do Luong district established the Zalo group "Do Luong Forestry", members of the forest fire prevention and fighting steering committee from commune and district levels all participated, which is very convenient for directing forest fire prevention and fighting.
Risk of forest fires in hot season
According to the report of the Forest Protection Department: The area at high risk of forest fires in Nghe An includes 15,476 hectares of pine forests in Dien Chau, Hung Nguyen, Yen Thanh, Thanh Chuong districts... There are 720 hectares of mixed eucalyptus forests (a tree species with essential oils, flammable) and more than 42,900 hectares of bamboo forests and 173,867 hectares of mixed wood - bamboo forests.
To proactively fight forest fires, since the beginning of 2024, localities and forest owners have collected and processed vegetation, reduced combustible materials on more than 1,999 hectares, and repaired 186 km of firebreaks. Renovated 62 km of firebreaks in production forests bordering natural forests, renovated and repaired fire watchtowers and fire prohibition signs. Allocate funds to purchase and distribute forest fire fighting tools and equipment such as: blowers, fire extinguishers, iron rakes to Forest Protection Departments, forest owners and Commune People's Committees.
In particular, 7 fire monitoring camera systems were installed in Nam Dan, Thanh Chuong, Do Luong, Yen Thanh, and Dien Chau districts. Up to now, the whole province has had 12 fire monitoring camera systems, 180 blowers, 85 brush cutters; 122 chainsaws, 1,610 fire extinguishers, 2,574 knives, 2,844 rakes, hoes, and shovels; 26 water pumps, 250 GPS devices; 17 binoculars....
The Forestry Department directs forestry units to regularly test-operate machinery and equipment to be ready for forest fire fighting.
Faced with the high risk of forest fires, the Forest Protection Department directed its subordinate units to maintain 100% of their personnel on duty 24/7 during hot weather and high risk of forest fires. Forest owners and commune-level People's Committees arranged forces to guard and control people entering and leaving forests in key forest areas, at fire watchtowers, forest protection stations, and areas at high risk of forest fires to proactively prevent and stop forest fires.
However, there are still difficulties and shortcomings in forest fire prevention and fighting. For example, the budget for investment in forest fire prevention and fighting by forest owners, organizations and local authorities has been arranged every year, but it has not met the actual needs in forest fire prevention and fighting plans. Especially the work of vegetation treatment, making firebreaks, purchasing tools and vehicles...
When forest fires occur, the reception and processing of forest fire information is slow, because the forest fire prevention and fighting plan according to the "4 on-site" principle is not effective, leading to the situation where the fire grows large, only then is the forest fire fighting force mobilized.
In the process of mobilizing and commanding forest fire fighting at the scene, some fires are still confusing, in the command work, logistics work, means and equipment for fire fighting, there are still many shortcomings, especially in large forest fires with many forces participating in fire fighting. Investigation and handling of violations of acts causing forest fires still face many difficulties, the cause of most forest fires has not been determined.
For forest areas managed by the People's Committee of the commune and households, the implementation of forest fire prevention and fighting contents such as: vegetation treatment, firebreak construction, equipment, tools, vehicles, and fire fighting equipment, implementation faces many difficulties and is still spontaneous due to lack of funding.
The construction of signs, fire prohibition signs, and regulations on fire use along the forest and in the forest have not received much investment, so they have not been effective in reminding people to enter and exit the forest.