Local authorities in the Mekong Delta have warned about forest fires during the dry season as temperatures in the last two days reached 34 degrees without any rain.

Checking the pumps

Le Van Hai, head of the Forest Protection Department in Ca Mau Province said on February 18 that over 54,000 hectares of forest were in danger. The situation is very serious at Vo Doi National Park.

After being asked to be proactive in preparing for forest fires, many forest owners have cleaned undergrowth and cleared 300km of canals. The provincial authorities have 101 pumps ready with over 62,300 metres of hoses and 12 fire trucks.

They have set up 25 warning signs at residential areas near the forest.

The authorities in An Giang Province also raised the forest fire danger level to high for Thoai Son, Tri Ton, Tinh Bien and Chau Doc. National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting forecasted that from February to May, the southern region could face a rainfall shortage of about 20-40%. Saltwater intrusion looks likely to occur earlier compared to 2017 and 2018.

Truong Minh Hung, head of the Forest Protection Department in An Giang, said they had consulted with the local people's committee and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to carry out 144 field inspections, build fire barriers in Cam and Phu Cuong mountains.

Statistics from 2018 show that An Giang had 16,868 hectares of forest land. An Giang's forest land is smaller than other provinces but plays important role in protecting the environment.

Dtinews