High risk of forest fires
Reported by the An Giang Provincial Hydrometeorological Station, since early March, localized heat has appeared in several communes and wards bordering neighboring countries. Currently, An Giang Province has about 29,877 hectares of forest located in high-risk fire zones, mainly concentrated in mountainous forests and melaleuca forests such as U Minh Thuong National Park, Nui Cam, Tri Ton and Tinh Bien communes.
Phu Quoc National Park is currently managing more than 36,262 hectares of forest, including 29,596 hectares of special-use forest and 6,666 hectares of protection forest. According to Mr. Pham Viet Giap, Head of the Forest Protection Management Division of the park, this year’s dry season is forecast to be harsher and longer than usual, putting melaleuca forests in Bai Thom and Ham Ninh at high risk of fire.
 "Authorities raise awareness about forest fire prevention and regulations for visitors to the Tra Su melaleuca forest in An Giang Province. (Photo: SGGP/ Nam Khoi)")
Similarly, in Ca Mau Province, prolonged dry heat in early March has caused water in the melaleuca forests of U Minh Ha National Park to evaporate quickly. Observations by Sai Gon Giai Phong (SGGP) Newspaper reporters show that climbing plants such as jungle vines and wild creepers are gradually drying out while clinging to melaleuca trees.
Dry branches and fallen leaves have formed a thick layer of highly flammable material covering the ground in forests. Additionally, rapidly declining humidity under the forest canopy, combined with an increasingly dry peat layer, has created conditions in which even a minor incident could trigger a forest fire.
In response, forest protection forces are on constant duty at fire watchtowers. They regularly monitor the area from the towers; even the slightest column of smoke can be detected immediately.
According to the Forest Protection Sub-Department under the Department of Agriculture and Environment, Ca Mau Province has more than 148,190 hectares of forestry land, of which about 45,800 hectares are at risk of forest fires. Currently, more than 3,300 hectares of forest are under Level III fire warning (high risk).
Intensifying patrols, preparing equipment and coordinating response forces
Facing the risk of forest fires, Mr. Nguyen Van Thang, Deputy Director of U Minh Thuong National Park, said that since the end of the rainy season, the park has proactively closed sluices and dams in the core zone to store water for forest fire prevention and control.
At the same time, the park has cleared patrol routes around the core area and main access roads, and removed floating vegetation along canals to ensure the smooth transport of equipment, vehicles and firefighting forces in case of emergencies.
Coordination plans between on-site forces and reinforcement units have also been developed to ensure early detection, quick containment and timely suppression of fires, he said.
This year’s dry season has seen several forest fires in the Mekong Delta. Most recently, a forest fire broke out in Hamlet 8, Tran The, Giang Thanh Commune, An Giang Province, at around 6:30 p.m. on February 22, within the area managed by the Phu My Species and Habitat Conservation Area Management Board.
Earlier, in late January, a relatively large fire occurred in the melaleuca forest behind the Tay Ninh Provincial Revolutionary Historical Site in Binh Thanh Commune, Tay Ninh Province, damaging about 1.5 hectares of forest, mainly mixed melaleuca trees and dry undergrowth. Initial investigations found that the fire was caused by people entering the forest to collect honey and lighting a fire that later spread out of control.
In Tay Ninh Province, one of the key measures implemented for forest fire prevention is conducting practical drills, especially in high-risk areas. The simulated scenarios closely mirror real situations, from fire detection and alarm activation to mobilizing forces, containing and extinguishing the fire, and protecting surrounding forest areas. These drills help improve coordination and rapid response when incidents occur.
According to Ngo Cong Thuc, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of An Giang Province, the provincial authorities have urged departments, local administrations and residents to raise their sense of responsibility and avoid complacency or negligence. The province is implementing forest fire prevention and control plans under the “four-on-the-spot” principle, on-site forces, on-site equipment, on-site logistics and on-site command while closely monitoring forest fire forecasts and warnings and maintaining 24/7 readiness to prevent fires from spreading or becoming large-scale incidents.
