In an official dispatch, the prime minister said forests in the two regions were under Level V, the highest wildfire warning on Vietnam's five-level scale.
Since early June, 25 forest fires have burned more than 90 hectares in Ninh Binh, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Phu Tho, Quang Tri, Hue and Quang Ngai provinces.
One of the largest fires, which burned from June 21 to 23 in Nghe An Province, required nearly 1,000 people to bring the blaze under control.
The possible return of El Niño from late June could bring more extreme heat, drought and unusually high temperatures, with some areas from Thanh Hoa to Quang Ngai forecast to exceed 40 degrees Celsius.
The prime minister instructed local authorities to strengthen forest fire prevention, maintain round-the-clock patrols, strictly control the use of fire in and around forests, and prepare response plans for different wildfire scenarios.
Authorities were also told to be ready to evacuate residents from high-risk areas when necessary and to investigate the causes of forest fires, identify those responsible and strictly handle violations.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment was instructed to strengthen wildfire forecasting and early warning systems, promote the use of technology in forest fire prevention and review funding needs for firefighting efforts.
The ministries of National Defence and Public Security were ordered to remain ready to deploy personnel and equipment to assist local authorities when required.
