Ca Mau province issues warning forest fire for U Minh Ha forest

The warning came after heat waves caused the cajuput forest quickly drying up and some areas of the forest have changed to extremely dangerous fire alarm levels.

Currently, there have been more than 7,000 hectares at the forest fire warning level 4 (danger) and more than 300 hectares at the forest fire warning level 5 (extremely dangerous), the department said.

Previously, at the beginning of March, the whole forest had only less than 400 hectares at the forest fire warning level 4. 

The number of forest at the forest fire warning level 4 mainly locates in the two communes of Tran Hoi and Khanh Binh Tay Bac in Tran Van Thoi District.

According to the provincial Forest Protection Department, the department has taken a range of solutions to ensure safety in forest fire prevention and control in the dry season of this year.

The department has disseminated of fire prevention solutions to forest owners and local authorities.

In addition to focusing on dissemination to raise people's awareness of forest protection, it has also strengthened shifts to prevent forest fire 24 hours daily.

Le Van Hai, director of the Provincial Forest Protection Department said the department has issued a document ordering relevant units to deploy the implementation of the forest protection plan in order to proactively prevent forest fire in the province during the dry season.

At the same time, it has coordinated with localities to provide professional training and equip means and tools to prevent forest fire for specialized forces, he said.

It has also strengthened patrols in high-risk areas of forest fire as well as ensure that the force is always on duty to protect the forest, he added.

Forest fire prevention activities have been implemented by relevant units, the department has focused on patrolling and arranging pumps in high-risk areas of forest fire to be ready to put out the forest fire if any, he said.

U Minh Ha cajuput forest belongs to U Minh Ha National Park. U Minh Ha National Park has more than 8,000 hectares of indigo blues and 25,000 hectares of buffer zone as well as rich fauna and flora. U Minh Ha National Park is one of three core zones of the Mui Ca Mau (Ca Mau Cape) World Biosphere Reserve.

The forest is a source of life for local people on this land, producing an abundant and rich resource of produce. The forest not only protects but also help them create revenues to feed their families.

With these specific characteristics, Ca Mau provincial authorities have paid more attention to the conservation and promotion of the value of the U Minh Ha forest, particularly constructing roads and enhancing the forest fire prevention and control systems.

The flora and fauna of cajuput forest in U Minh Ha National Park is very rich. So far, studying found out that the flora has 79 families with more than 30 species of plants; the most typical is still cajuput; animals have 32 species of mammals including 13 families; 74 species of birds, including dozens of rare birds and animals listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation Nature (IUCN).

According to scientific literature, U Minh Ha cajuput forests in Ca Mau Province contributes for keeping a stable ecological environment for the Ca Mau peninsula. People also call it as “a green lung” for the south of Viet Nam. U Minh Ha forest is flooded in the rainy season is the breeding ground and the home of many species of freshwater fishes such as: catfish, perch, catfish and waterfall strabismus.