According to the commune People’s Committee, the blaze broke out on the evening of April 24 in the Binh Minh production melaleuca forest area.
The scene of the fire (Photo: Phuong Vu).
After receiving reports of the fire, local authorities mobilised more than 140 people to respond.
Firefighting efforts faced major difficulties because of hard-to-reach terrain, strong winds and thick vegetation, which caused embers to spread quickly across the forest.
Rescue teams used six specialised firefighting machines along with manual equipment, while also taking advantage of the local irrigation canal system to pump water deep into the core fire zone.
By around 10.30 pm the same day, the blaze had been largely brought under control and successfully contained.
Throughout April 25 and into the early hours of April 26, firefighters remained at the site to fully extinguish smouldering hotspots and prevent the fire from reigniting.
No casualties were reported, but the fire destroyed around 3.44 hectares of one to two-year-old regenerated melaleuca forest and 1.25 hectares of undergrowth on land assigned to four households for management.
The scene after the fire was extinguished (Photo: Phuong Vu).
Local authorities said the initial cause may have been farmers burning rice straw in nearby rice fields, with sparks carried by the wind into the forest area.
The Co To Commune People’s Committee has instructed local police to work with forest rangers to inspect the site, identify those responsible and handle violations strictly under forestry and forest fire prevention laws.
