Ministries, branches and localities urgently prevent and fight forest fires.

That is the task of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment assigned by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Official Dispatch No. 441/CD-TTg dated May 22 on strengthening urgent measures to prevent and fight forest fires.

According to the Official Dispatch, currently, severe heat is occurring in many localities across the country, the highest temperature is commonly from 37 degrees Celsius to 39 degrees Celsius, in some places over 40 degrees Celsius, especially in the provinces of the Northern, Central and Southwestern regions; the risk of forest fires is very high in many localities, there have been a number of forest fires occurring in some localities such as: Hoa Binh, Son La, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Quang Tri, Quang Nam, Lam Dong, ..., causing great damage to forests, ecological environment and affecting the lives of people in the area.

Ministries, sectors and localities have actively and proactively implemented forest fire prevention and fighting, thereby contributing to minimizing damage caused by forest fires. The Prime Minister highly appreciated the drastic direction of Party committees and local authorities.

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, in the coming time, due to the influence of El Nino phenomenon, the heat will be more intense, with the number of sunny days higher than the average of many years and many unusual developments. The heat combined with lack of rainfall makes the risk of forest fires in many places very high, causing damage to forests, the environment, affecting the health, property, life and livelihood of people.

To proactively prevent and fight forest fires, minimize damage caused by forest fires, the Prime Minister requested the Chairmen of the People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities to be responsible for forest fire prevention and fighting in their localities, urgently direct the People's Committees at all levels and functional agencies to strictly implement their management responsibilities for forest fire prevention and fighting, strengthen inspection and supervision of forest fire prevention and fighting, consider this a key task, absolutely must not be subjective, negligent, or lose vigilance.

Inspect and review forces, means and materials; develop a forest fire prevention and fighting plan that is complete, practical and capable of responding to forest fire situations; proactively arrange local reserve funds and other legal sources of capital to ensure good implementation of forest fire prevention and fighting.

Organize on-duty shifts, assign forces to be on duty 24/7 during the dry season and hot days; arrange checkpoints, patrol and guard in key areas prone to forest fires, strictly control people entering and exiting forest areas at high risk of forest fires; promptly detect fire spots, mobilize forces to participate in controlling and extinguishing forest fires in the shortest time, not allowing large fires to occur; strictly implement the reporting regime, ensure completeness, accuracy, and timeliness to serve the direction, operation and organization of timely and effective forest fire prevention and fighting.

Have a plan ready to proactively evacuate people from dangerous areas when necessary, ensuring the safety of people's lives and property and the state.

Effectively implement the Project on Capacity Building for Forest Rangers in Forest Management, Protection and Forest Fire Prevention and Fighting for the 2021-2030 period approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 177/QD-TTg dated February 10, 2022, promptly report difficulties and problems to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for synthesis, consideration and settlement according to authority and regulations of law; promptly issue forest fire forecast levels and forest fire forecast lookup tables in the area according to regulations of law.

Strengthen propaganda and education to raise awareness and responsibility in forest fire prevention and fighting; inspect, urge and guide people to control the use of fire in and near forests, especially slash-and-burn farming activities; immediately stop using fire to treat vegetation and other fire-using behaviors that pose a risk of causing forest fires.

Monitor information on forecasts, warnings of heat waves, forest fire risks and early detection of forest fires (Website of the Forestry Department: kiemlam.org.vn, Website of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting: nchmf.gov.vn); Inform and report immediately when there is a forest fire to the Forestry Department at phone number: 098 666 8 333; E-mail: [email protected], ensuring to provide complete, accurate and timely information to coordinate direction and mobilize forest fire fighting forces when necessary.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is responsible for directing and organizing forest fire prevention and fighting nationwide, including urgently directing the implementation of a number of key and urgent tasks.

Specifically, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall preside over and coordinate with ministries, branches and People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to strengthen direction and inspection of forest fire prevention and fighting work of localities in key forest fire areas. Immediately dispatch leaders and functional agencies to support localities in being on duty and commanding forest fire fighting, strictly maintaining the 24/7 duty regime. Review and complete the Regulations on direction, operation and coordination in forest fire prevention and fighting work.

Closely monitor weather developments; coordinate with localities to review and identify key areas at high risk of forest fires; improve the quality, accuracy, and frequency of forest fire risk forecasting and warning; increase the application of high technology in forest fire risk forecasting, warning, and early detection, ensuring suitability, practicality, and effectiveness, and be ready to support localities when forest fires occur.

Direct, guide and inspect localities to effectively implement the Project on Capacity Building for Forest Rangers in Forest Management, Protection and Forest Fire Prevention and Fighting for the 2021-2030 period, promptly handle local recommendations within their authority; preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance and localities to review, develop and synthesize urgent funding support needs for forest fire prevention and fighting in 2023 of ministries, branches and localities to improve the quality and effectiveness of forest fire prevention and fighting.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade and the State Capital Management Committee at Enterprises directed the electricity sector and Vietnam Electricity Group to preside over and coordinate with local authorities and relevant agencies to ensure absolute safety of the national power system, preventing incidents in transmission and power supply for production and people's lives.

The Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security review and proactively develop plans to support forest fire fighting in the areas where units are stationed, and are ready to mobilize forces and means to participate in forest fire fighting when requested.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment ensures the quality of forecasting work, promptly provides information on weather and extreme weather phenomena to relevant agencies and people to serve the work of forest fire prevention and control.

The Ministry of Information and Communications, Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam Television, Vietnam News Agency and press agencies continue to do a good job of information and communication on forest protection and forest fire prevention and fighting; promptly provide information on forest fire warnings and forecasts during peak periods.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance shall preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to urgently synthesize the urgent need for support funding for forest fire prevention and fighting in 2023 according to Decision No. 177/QD-TTg dated February 10, 2022 of the Prime Minister, and report to competent authorities for consideration and decision.

Other ministries and branches proactively direct, coordinate, and support localities in implementing forest fire prevention and fighting work according to their assigned state management functions.

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