Yen Bai urgently prevents and combats the risk of large-scale forest fires

Yen Bai is entering the peak of the dry season, with prolonged dry weather. This is also the time when people in the highlands burn vegetation to make fields, increasing the risk of large-scale forest fires. Faced with this situation, authorities at all levels have proactively implemented urgent measures, mobilizing maximum forces and means to effectively prevent and fight forest fires, minimizing possible fires.

* Proactively deploy response measures

In early April, according to forecasts, many localities in Yen Bai province are warning of forest fires at level IV and V - very high and extremely dangerous warning levels. A series of urgent measures are being deployed by localities and authorities at the grassroots level, focusing on promoting propaganda, preparing conditions for forest fire prevention and fighting response plans, strictly controlling the use of fire in agricultural and forestry production, especially uncontrolled slash-and-burn farming.

Mr. Nguyen Thai Binh, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Yen Bai province, said that the province has requested localities to focus on reviewing and updating forest fire prevention and fighting plans according to the "four on-site" motto; fully prepare materials, human resources, and funding, be ready to evacuate people when necessary, and promptly report emergency situations. The guiding spirit throughout is "prevention is the key", focusing on early detection and timely handling of fire risks right at the grassroots level.

Mr. Nguyen Thai Binh added that the Forest Ranger force is currently closely coordinating with relevant units to increase combat duty, closely monitor developments to identify and zone key areas of forest fire risk in key areas; monitor forest fire risks using modern technology, such as patrolling with flycams, GPS systems... Regularly conduct drills at the grassroots level, perfect coordination plans, and be ready to coordinate when required; assign specific responsibilities to local authorities in the event of a forest fire.

In Mu Cang Chai district, where the total area of ​​forest and forestry land is over 99 thousand hectares, accounting for 83% of the natural area. The Forest Protection Department coordinated with the District Forest Protection Management Board and local authorities of communes and towns to complete 14 commune-level forest fire prevention and control steering committees; established 108 shock teams to patrol and protect forests with nearly 700 participants...

Mr. Tran Xuan Duong, Head of Mu Cang Chai District Forest Protection Department, said that the unit has arranged forest rangers to be in charge of the area, closely following the base, maintaining a 24/7 duty regime during the hot and dry season. Proactively plan inspections, promptly grasp information and violations of the Forestry Law in the area; organize propaganda integrated into village meetings, sign commitments to protect forests to families in the entire district; instruct people on slash-and-burn techniques.

In addition, forest fire forecasting and warning to communes, villages, and forest owners should proactively respond when situations occur according to the "4 on-site" principle, build and repair forest fire forecasting signs, fire watchtowers at high-risk fire locations, and strictly prohibit burning fields, bees, and grasslands in cattle grazing areas during dry periods.

As a result, 100% of communes and towns across the province have developed plans, command schedules, and coordination regimes for forest fire prevention and fighting; assigned the responsibility of self-inspecting forest fire prevention and fighting to forest owners; organized nearly 50,000 households to sign a commitment to prevent forest fires, not to burn fields on hot, dry, windy days; and ensured 100% of the troops in the shock team to patrol and protect forests at the grassroots level.

* Maximum mobilization of forces and means

In order to effectively implement forest fire prevention and fighting measures at the grassroots level, Yen Bai province pays special attention to preparing forces, equipping knowledge and means to improve forest fire prevention and fighting capacity for forces and people. This is considered a decisive factor to improve the effectiveness of proactive and sustainable forest fire prevention and fighting.

In reality, most forest fires in Yen Bai province were detected early and promptly extinguished by local people, resulting in minimal damage and preventing the spread of forest fires. This shows that all fire prevention and fighting activities must first be handled immediately by on-site forces and means.

Mr. Kieu Tu Giang, Head of the Yen Bai Provincial Forest Protection Department, said that the local forces, mainly the patrol and forest protection teams, play an extremely important role. They not only directly fight forest fires when incidents occur, but also have the task of propagating and disseminating forest fire prevention skills to each person, close to the actual situation in each locality. Currently, the whole province always maintains nearly 1,500 forest fire fighting teams with over 8,000 participants.

In addition to maintaining sufficient numbers of personnel, drills with hypothetical situations at the base are of interest to the Forest Rangers and are regularly organized. Through practice, it has helped people improve their skills in handling and extinguishing small fires when they are first discovered, and know how to use on-site forest fire prevention and fighting equipment. In particular, it helps people to have a calm response mentality, not panicking when forest fires can spread.

Tram Tau District is a key area for forest fire prevention. Mr. Nguyen Van Quynh, Deputy Head of Van Chan - Tram Tau - Nghia Lo Forest Protection Department, said that the district always maintains 12 mobile forest protection teams in 12 communes and towns and 55 forest fire prevention teams in villages, with over 600 participants. At the same time, each mobile team is equipped with at least one field water pump; each forest fire prevention team has at least 2 sets of specialized fire-resistant clothing and 2 tree cutters...

Like other localities in the province, Tram Tau district has maintained a good forest fire forecasting and warning system from satellites provided by the Forest Protection Department; updated the forest fire warning and early detection software via SMS messages from the Provincial Forest Protection Department. Along with that, the district has distributed 46 propaganda boards, 80 fire prohibition signs, 10 forest protection convention boards, repaired 6 forest fire forecasting boards, 72 fire watchtowers; cleared and repaired more than 270 km of firebreaks.

Yen Bai currently has a forest coverage of 63%, considered the "green lung" that regulates the climate for most of the Northwest region. Faced with the increasingly present risk of forest fires, the proactiveness of the government and the sense of responsibility of the people will be the decisive factors in ensuring the safety of the forests, and protecting the livelihoods of tens of thousands of households.

(According to VTV)

Source: https://baoyenbai.com.vn/12/348842/Yen-Bai-cap-bach-phong-chong-truoc-nguy-co-chay-rung-dien-rong.aspx