Zoning key areas to respond to forest fires in Cam Lo

Cam Lo district has a relatively large forest area of over 20,400 hectares, so forest management, protection, and forest fire prevention and fighting (PCCCR) in the area are facing many difficulties. In particular, the continuous hot weather lasting from April to September every year increases the risk of forest fires. In order to proactively and effectively implement PCCCR work and minimize damage caused by forest fires, Cam Lo district People's Committee has implemented a plan to effectively respond to forest fires in the 2024 dry season, focusing on zoning each key area to proactively develop response plans.

Cam Lo District Forest Rangers research and delineate key areas to develop a plan to respond to forest fires - Photo: MA

The district has identified three key areas of planted forests in the communes of Cam Tuyen, Cam Thuy, Thanh An and the Northern branch of the Road 9 Forestry Company Limited with a total forest area of 9,100 hectares. Of which, there are more than 150 hectares of pine forests that are flammable in the dry season. The key area of forest fires is in the Fuler hill area, Ban Chua of Cam Tuyen commune, this area has rugged terrain and difficult traffic. The planted forest area is adjacent to residential areas of Thanh An commune, due to the fragmented forest area, households only treat the undergrowth after exploitation by fire, leading to a high risk of forest fires.

Zone 2 consists mostly of planted forests of the North Central Forestry Science Center, Cam Hieu Commune, Cam Lo Town, with a total forest area of about 1,500 hectares. The traffic system in this area is quite convenient for using fire trucks to access the fire area. The key forest fire areas are concentrated in Nam Hieu and Rao Tru villages, Cam Hieu Commune.

Zone 3 is the planted forest of households in Cam Thanh, Cam Chinh, Cam Nghia communes, Road 9 Forestry Company Limited, Nghia An Prison with an area of about 8,000 hectares. The terrain here is strongly fragmented, the slope is large, mainly manual fire fighting, making it difficult for fire trucks to enter and put out the fire. The key areas of forest fires are concentrated in the pine forest area of Road 9 Forestry Company Limited in Cam Thanh commune, the planted forest area of the ADB Project in Cam Chinh commune, the planted forest area of the ADB project and project 661, Cam Nghia commune.

Vice Chairman of Cam Lo District People's Committee Tran Hoai Linh said: "The district has approved a plan to prepare facilities to meet fire prevention and fighting work in the 2024 dry season, including fire lines, fire barriers, watchtowers, fire water supply points, etc. The principle of fire fighting is based on the 4-on-the-spot motto: "On-site command, on-site forces, on-site means, on-site logistics". Minimize damage in all aspects. Ensure absolute safety for the lives, means, and property of the people and those participating in fire fighting. In the event of a large-scale forest fire that threatens to cause a disaster leading to an emergency, forest fire fighting must comply with the provisions of the law on emergencies".

According to the fire fighting plan, when receiving a report of a forest fire occurring in an area under their management, relevant agencies and units must quickly mobilize forces and means on the spot to organize fire fighting, and at the same time notify other responsible agencies and units to be ready to support the fire fighting force; in case a forest fire occurs outside the assigned management area, after receiving the report of the fire, they must promptly notify the agencies and units managing the area where the fire occurred to handle and participate in forest fire fighting.

Any information about forest fires, the commune-level sustainable forestry development steering committee must promptly report to the district-level sustainable forestry development steering committee for monitoring and support plans.

When a forest fire occurs and the firefighting order is received, organizations and individuals must promptly coordinate with forest rangers, armed forces, local authorities and forest owners to promptly develop plans to handle the fires and participate in extinguishing the forest fires. Units mobilized to participate in firefighting must ensure firefighting equipment and tools for their participating forces.

Firefighting forces at the scene strictly follow the command and direction of the highest commander at the scene. Depending on the specific situation, nature, scale of the fire, terrain, wind speed, and spread of the fire, command and mobilize mechanical vehicles to effectively fight the fire. Units participating in forest fire fighting must prepare drinking water, medicine, and medical supplies to promptly provide first aid on the spot to those injured, burned, or fainted while fighting the fire...

Mr. Hoang Ngoc Tien, Head of Cam Lo Forest Protection Department, said: “When a forest fire occurs, it is very important to unify the position of the general commander of the fire fighting operation. The District People's Committee has stipulated specific responsibilities: if the forest owner is an agency or organization, the head of the agency or organization or an authorized person is the fire fighting commander. The village head at the place where the fire occurs is responsible for participating in commanding the fire fighting. If the forest owner is a household or individual, the village head or an authorized person at the place where the fire occurs is the fire fighting commander. The head of the forest ranger unit or an authorized person at the place where the fire occurs is responsible for being the focal point to grasp and synthesize the situation and level of the fire to advise the highest commander to decide on the most effective forest fire fighting plan and method.”

In addition, the District People's Committee has strengthened propaganda to raise awareness, consciousness and responsibility of people in forest fire prevention and control work in many forms such as: propaganda on the FM loudspeaker system of the district and commune; mobile propaganda, integrated into meetings of associations, unions, village meetings... with rich content; repairing and renewing forest protection convention boards, forest fire forecast boards, fire prohibition signs... to raise awareness of cadres and people in forest fire prevention and control work. The functional forces strictly manage the clearing and burning of vegetation in agricultural and forestry production activities.

Minh Anh

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