According to the Forest Protection Agency, 16 provinces are now at level five warning level for risk of forest fire – the highest warning level.

They are provinces in the Central Highlands and southwestern region. The entire natural forest area of Tay Ninh province is at the fifth level of alert.

Nguyen Thanh Tung, Vice chair of Phu Quoc Island District in the southern province of Kien Giang, said on March 1 that due to dry and hot weather, the amount of forest area that is at level five is expanding day by day. Of the total 36,000 hectares of natural forest on Phu Quoc Island, nearly 5000 hectares of buffer and preventive forest are facing the highest threat of catching fire.

Tung said the island authorities have mobilized all forces to guard the forest and to prepare fire-fighting resources.

A vast area of Nghe An and Thanh Hoa provinces are also at the fifth level. Some provinces are at the fourth level of alert.

The Forest Protection Agency said that these provinces have not had rain for a long time. The agency has requested them to seriously perform fire prevention measures.

Over 150 forest fires occurred in the first two months of 2010, destroying over 1,600 hectares. Most cases were in the northwestern region. The biggest fire in the Hoang Lien Son National Park in Lao Cai province destroyed approximately 1000 hectares.

PV