According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quang Ninh province, Typhoon Yagi has damaged more than 117,000 hectares of forest, with damage ranging from 30-100%. It is estimated that there are currently about 6 million tons of flammable materials from the destroyed forests, creating a high risk of forest fires. There have also been 16 forest fires in the province, with estimated damage of over 60 hectares.
Implementing Decree 140/2024/ND-CP of the Government issued on October 25, 2024, regulating the liquidation of planted forests, the Quang Ninh Provincial Forest Protection Department guides the protection forest management boards to carry out the forest liquidation process such as: Organizing field inspections to determine the cause and extent of forest damage; Guiding the preparation of forest liquidation records.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Khuong - Deputy Head of the Quang Ninh Provincial Forest Protection Department - shared: “Of the total forest area damaged by storm Yagi, about 6,000 hectares are protective forests. For production forests managed by local people, households can proactively repair and clean up the scene immediately. However, protective forests must wait for instructions on forest liquidation, while fallen trees that have been dry for a long time are very flammable, causing difficulties in forest protection and fire prevention. Therefore, when the Decree was issued, the Provincial Forest Protection Department urgently deployed it to all protective forest management boards to promptly clean up the forest according to regulations.”
Yen Lap Lake Protection Forest Management Board, the unit managing over 10,975 hectares of forest in Ha Long City and Quang Yen Town. This is a forest area that plays an important role in regulating and creating water sources for Yen Lap Lake - the largest freshwater lake in Quang Ninh province with 130 million cubic meters, providing water for over 10,000 hectares of agricultural land, aquaculture and domestic water for Quang Yen Town, Uong Bi City, Ha Long City.
Mr. Bui Huu Rin - Deputy Director in charge of Yen Lap Lake Protective Forest Management Board - said: "After organizing a field inspection, about 1,000 hectares of planted forest were damaged after storm Yagi. In the context of many forest fires occurring around, Decree 140/2024/ND-CP will gradually remove difficulties in forest protection and fire prevention".
"However, while waiting for the liquidation procedure to be completed, the Forest Management Board will maintain 100% of its personnel, patrol and control 24/7 in areas at high risk of forest fires, proactively zoning forest fires and creating firebreaks, and instructing people on how to properly handle vegetation. During this time, we also received support from the Provincial Forest Protection Department, additional personnel from the Mobile Forest Protection Team and Forest Fire Prevention and Fighting Team No. 1 and No. 2," said Mr. Rin.
To improve the effectiveness of forest fire prevention and fighting, authorities have requested management units and people to implement measures such as placing warning signs and fire prohibition signs in high-risk areas and complying with fire prevention plans as prescribed.
Areas with high-voltage power lines or structures at risk of fire must have firebreaks and safety corridors. When burning undergrowth or dry trees to clear land, people must register with the Forestry Department or local authorities, arrange for guards and extinguish the embers after burning. When a fire is detected, it is necessary to quickly notify the authorities for timely handling and containment.
