During the 2025 dry season, U Minh Thuong National Park identified a key area at high risk of fire of 4,730 hectares, of which 85 hectares of forest were at high risk of fire, the rest were warned of level I and level II fires.
At this time, the vegetation here is entering a distinct phase of transformation, each layer of water fern turns yellow due to the impact of hot climate and high temperature.
Officers of the Mobile Ranger and Forest Fire Prevention and Fighting Team at U Minh Thuong National Park have entered the highest duty cycle of the year, ready to respond quickly to preserve the world's biodiversity "treasure" to overcome the great drought.
According to the report, U Minh Thuong National Park has consolidated and deployed 5 mobile forest rangers and forest fire prevention and fighting teams with more than 60 people stationed in the areas: Channel 6, Channel 14, Channel 19, Cay Kapok, administrative area and wildlife rescue area. All operate according to the 4-on-site method.
Before entering the shift, the teams proactively met and divided into small groups. By road, they skillfully infiltrated the central area; by water, they took a boat across the grasslands at the edge of the forest; from above, they surveyed the forests with binoculars.
Mr. Cao Thanh Dien, an officer of the Mobile Ranger and Forest Fire Prevention and Fighting Team of U Minh Thuong National Park, climbed up to the observation tower 30m above the ground. The view from the tower combined with binoculars can cover the entire core area of the national park. When detecting smoke or unusual signs, Mr. Dien will immediately contact the command center.
Mr. Dien is also one of the officers who has been on duty for many years to guard against "fire" in the core area of the national park. And many times, he has witnessed the sea of fire burning down rows of fresh cajuput trees.
"That depression is a forest. We often tell each other to stand in the forest when we get lost," said Mr. Dien, pointing his binoculars at the green patches 5-10km from the observation tower.
On the other hand, the road patrol team also had to struggle to penetrate the core of the primary forest, check the humidity inside the forest foot, and remove flammable materials along the patrol route.
Over the years, the national park has increased the capacity of the pumping station, has a closed canal system, dykes, peat dykes and drainage culverts. On the central canal axis, Vo Lai has brought the patrol team into the middle of the forest, on one side is the primeval forest, on the other side is the burnt cajuput forest.
To regulate water between areas, dams were also built to block channels and pumping stations to bring more fresh water into the core area.
The canal and dike system surrounding the core area is 38.4km long, forming an irregular diamond-shaped polygon. It was dug in 1978 and fully upgraded in 2003. The dike surface is 8m wide, elevation +2.
The canals in the core zone must be kept clear during the dry season because they are the main routes for transporting firefighting equipment into the core zone of the national park.
On the dike system, the main axes are built of concrete: the central canal is 10.7km long and the cross canal is 7.9km long. The concrete road on the dike surrounding the core area is 30.1km long. The concrete road is 2.5-5m wide, with a load capacity of 5 tons or more.
After completing their patrols, the officers return to their assigned barracks, where they shower, clean themselves, cook, and participate in activities similar to those at home.
Meat and fish were assigned by the officers, who proactively went to buy them early in the morning. Before patrolling, they took turns cooking. By evening, on the simple meal tray, they became a small family.
U Minh Thuong National Park, located in An Minh Bac and Minh Thuan communes of U Minh Thuong district, Kien Giang province, has a total natural area of about 21,107 hectares. Of which, the core area accounts for 8,038 hectares, including a strictly protected area of about 914 hectares, and a buffer zone of more than 13,000 hectares.
U Minh Thuong National Park is a world biosphere reserve and is one of the areas recognized as Ramsar sites. This is an international wetland reserve, listed under the Ramsar Convention on the protection and sustainable use of globally important wetlands.
Mr. Nguyen Van Thang - Deputy Director of U Minh Thuong National Park - estimated that the current forest fire level of the national park is at level I, by around May, most of the forest area will be at level IV, V forest fire warning level - dangerous level, extremely dangerous level.
The leaders of U Minh Thuong National Park have implemented solutions to prevent and fight fires during the peak dry season, such as organizing 100% of the force to participate in 24/7 duty, proactively detecting, preventing and promptly handling forest fires to minimize the possibility of forest fires occurring.
Along with that, the garden dredged and reinforced 5 water reservoirs, radius 500 m/hole to reserve 150 m³/hole in areas with high risk of fire, ensuring water source for fire fighting, keeping the forest foot area moist.
The park also continues to reinforce 6 water-regulating sluices to prevent leakage during the dry season, and at the same time, start 2 pumping stations to pump additional water for fire prevention and fighting when necessary.
Dantri.com.vn
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/xa-hoi/cang-minh-canh-giac-lua-de-bao-ton-kho-bau-o-rung-u-minh-thuong-20250309091802094.htm
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