U Minh Thuong National Park reopens for tourists as fire risks ease
According to Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment Le Huu Toan, a fire prevention and control plan has been in place since the dry season began, including round-the-clock patrols and rapid-response teams to snuff out fires before they could spread.
On the road to the U Minh Thuong National Park (Photo: VNA)
Kien Giang (VNA) - U Minh Thuong National Park in the southern province of Kien Giang reopened for tourists on May 26, followi൩ng a temporary closure to focus on forest fire prevention and control, said its deputy director Nguyen Van Thang.
According to Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment Le Huu Toan, a fire prevention and control plan has been in place since the dry season began, including round-the-clock patrols and rapid-response teams to snuff out fires before they could spread.
As the result, no fires were reported in forested areas in May, a stark contrast to the 2024-2025 dry season’s toll: seven blazes that scorched over 21.6 ha, with five in Phu Quoc city, one in Giang Thanh district, and one in An Minh district.
Kien Giang is now home to more than 75,700 ha of forests, with over 58,000 ha of natural forests and more than 17,690 ha of planted forests across 9 out of 15 districts and cities. The arrival of the rainy season, coupled with recent downpours, has eliminated the fire threat./.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on April 4 issued a dispatch ordering localities, ministries, and agencies to strengthen forest fire prevention and control measures.
From the night of April 12 to the morning of April 13, two forest fires occurred in Ha Long city's Dai Yen ward, and Binh Lieu district's Binh Lieu town, damaging over 40 hectares of forests.
Among the over 33,000ha of drought-hit forest in the southernmost province of Ca Mau, more than 13,530ha has fire potential rated as “dangerous” (Level 4) and nearly 4,000ha “extremely dangerous” (Level 5), local authorities said.
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