By staff writers – Translated by Hai Mien
Wednesday, Apr 28,2010, Posted at: 13:26(GMT+7) Forest fires are worse as several new infernos flared up at different zones of Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap Province. The national park, which is located in the Mekong Delta province’s Tam Nong District, catched fires on April 25 and turned worse when fires have spread through four of the park’s zones. On Tuesday evening, after the flares were got under control at A2 area, they continued blazing up at A1 area in Phu Hiep Commune, home of the fire on April 25. The fire extinguishing including hundreds of soldiers and police officials together with pumping machines and other facilities can not control the fires. Nguyen Van Duong, deputy chairman of Dong Thap Province’s People’s Committee said the fire extinguishing faced many difficulties as the prolonged fire occurred at different areas and far from water sources. A total of 262 hectares of cajuput forest and grassland had been burned down by the fires on April 25 and 26 alone. … According to Ca Mau Province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, since the dry season, which began in the end of 2009, the U Minh Ha cajuput forest have experienced dozens of fires.
Fire continues spreading through Dong Thap national park
By Phuc Hau, Binh Dai_Translated by Ky Linh A dry heat wave that has parched southern Vietnam over the last few weeks made kindling out of a slice of Dong Thap province as two fires tore a swath through Tram Chim National Park this week. A fire spread through four of the park’s zones on April 25 and the next day another blaze ripped through another zone 10 kilometers from where the first fire had started, local authorities reported. The park is located in the Mekong Delta province’s Tam Nong District. Fir experts said the hot and dry weather together with strong winds had fueled the quick spread of both fires. Extinguishing the fires proved difficult as the affected areas were far from water systems and the terrain was difficult. More than 1,000 people helped get the fires under control. Residents volunteered to help alongside forces from the military, fire departments and forest management bureaus. Nguyen Van Duong, Deputy Chairman of Dong Thap People’s Committee said the fires were under the control by 6pm on April 26. However, the province will ask a reserve force to keep watch on the situation 24 hours per day. Duong said the blazes were the biggest fires Tram Chim National Park had seen in many years. … Experts have predicted that the prolonged heat and dryness – the dry season arrived weeks early this year – could prompt a water shortage and damage crops. However, some southern areas will see rains the afternoon over the next few days.
Hot, dry weather fuels delta forest fires
