On February 21, Secretary of the Lao Cai Provincial Party Committee Dang Xuan Phong was present at the fire scene in sub-zone 286 in Ta Van Commune, Sa Pa Town where the flame was found initially.
Here, Colonel Nguyen Van Do, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Military Command of Lao Cai Province said that from February 20 to February 21, more than 2,000 people including security and armed forces, forest rangers, militia, forest protection teams and residents were mobilized to the fire site to participate in the firefighting.
Previously, on the night of February 20, Chairman of Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee Trinh Xuan Truong was present at the scene to direct firefighting and forest rescue work in the Hoang Lien National Park.
Reporting to the Secretary of the Lao Cai Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee Trinh Xuan Truong said that giving an update on Wednesday afternoon, the sub-fires have been basically under control and were prevented from spreading into other natural forests and ancient forests in the core area of the Hoang Lien National Park.
Currently, there is only one small fire spot in a terrain with vertical cliffs and difficult conditions to access the fire scene.
As for the extinguished fire spots, police and military forces, militia and residents have been on duty to closely monitor and prevent the flame from breaking out again.
As of about 9 a.m. on February 21, the perimeters of fire had been narrowed down gradually to few spots without smoke and embers.
According to preliminary reports from the Hoang Lien National Park, by February 21, the wildfire burned down at least 30 hectares of forest land.
Previously, the national park had a similar huge forest fire in 2012.
Information from Lao Cai Province said that two forest fire spots occurred in Phan Xi Pang Ward and Ta Phin Commune, Sa Pa Town at the same time from February 20 to the morning of February 21, burning one hectare of forest land, amid the severe heat and drought climate and persistent strong winds.
One more fire broke out in a hill area bordering three communes of Pa Cheo, Ban Qua and Phin Ngan in Bat Xat District at around 2 p.m. on February 20.
By 2 a.m. on the following day, the flame was extinguished thanks to the great efforts of the local authorities, people and rescue forces.
According to information from Son La Province, the forest fire in Chim Van Commune, Bac Yen District on February 19 damaged more than 50 hectares of forest land.
The People's Committee of Bac Yen District directed agencies, departments and forest rangers to investigate and verify the cause of the fire
Amid the complicated situation of the forest fire in Hoang Lien National Park, Head of the Division of Culture and Sports of Sa Pa Town Hoang Thi Vuong signed an urgent dispatch announcing the adjustment of the scale of the organization of the Roong Pooc festival, the biggest annual festival of the Giay people in Ta Van Commune to mobilize human resources to participate in fighting forest fires.
According to the plan, the Roong Pooc festival takes place on February 22 (the 13th day of the first lunar month of the lunar new year) including only the rituals according to folk beliefs.
The entire activities of the festival are stopped.
