Speaking at an urgent meeting held late Tuesday afternoon after the fire, which had burnt over 20 hectares at Tram Chim National Park, the vice chairman of Dong Thap Provincial People's Committee, Nguyen Phuoc Thien, said that many rat hunting traps were found in the area, and rat hunting activities using fire might have been the cause of the incident.
"Police are further investigating the causes of the fire and strict punishment will be issued to anyone for having illegally entered the park and caused the fire," the official said.
Reports from local authorities showed that the fire started in area A1 of the cajuput forest at 10.45 am on June 11, creating a towering column of smoke that significantly reduced visibility along surrounding roads.
The fire then spread quickly due to the hot weather and strong winds.
More than 250 people, including firefighters, militiamen and on-site forces, were deployed to put out the fire and evacuate nearby local residents. The fire was brought under control by 5 pm the same day.
It is estimated that about 20ha of cajuput forest have been burnt by the fierce fire.
Tram Chim National Park spans an area of nearly 7,500 hectares and was designated as Vietnam's fourth Ramsar site in 2012, underscoring its significance in conserving rare flora and fauna, both nationally and globally.
The park serves as a sanctuary for various endangered species, most notably the red-crowned crane.
