Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat visited the northwestern province of Lao Cai February 11 to personally direct efforts to put out a fire that broke out at Hoang Lien National Park three days earlier.
The fire began at 1pm in Ma Quy Ho town in Sa Pa District and spread to neighboring areas by February 10.
Mr. Phat, after working with local authorities, said the task is very complicated and the province has to continue to mobilize all forces and press on with measures.
The Government would provide forces and modern equipment to extinguish the blaze and save the park, he added.
More than 2,000 people are involved in the firefighting.
As of 6pm February 11 around 1,000 hectares of forest were destroyed.
The fire has been controlled in Seo My Ti town, Sa Pa District, but four others, including in Trung Leng Ho and Nam Can, continue to blaze fiercely.
According to the Sa Pa weather bureau, the district is being buffeted by the year’s strongest southwesterly winds and if the fires are not controlled soon, thousands of hectares of forest would turn into ash.
