Big fire in Da Lat: red pine hill in heaven and earth, what's the cause?

Recently, information about the pine forest in Da Lat is on fire, attracting a lot of attention from the public. Although there were early signs, due to many difficulties, the fire spread to a large area in the following hours.

Accordingly, on the afternoon of April 7, the pine forest in the Prenn pass area, nearly 10 km from the center of Da Lat city, caught fire violently. Specifically, at about 3pm on April 7, in sub-zone 267A, on Prenn pass in Ward 3, Da Lat city, a forest fire broke out. The fire spread, stretching over the mountain of the protection forest under the charge of Lam Vien Forest Management Board.

Nearly four hours later, people in the city center could observe the fiery red fire, stretching many hills, with white smoke rising. The burning forest area is in sub-zone 267a, planted with three-leaf pine with protection function.

However, due to the dry weather for many days, the fire met the vegetation and quickly burned violently and spread over an area of many hectares.

The location of the fire is a primeval pine forest with an age of about 70 years, belonging to the object of protection forest. Currently, dozens of people from the forces are still trying to find a way to put out the fire, but face many difficulties due to the steep terrain, and it is difficult for water trucks to reach the scene. The functional forces mainly used tree branches to extinguish the fire, trying to prevent the fire from spreading to surrounding locations.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa, Chairman of Ward 3 People's Committee said: Immediately after detecting the fire, the ward People's Committee, the functional units of Da Lat city and Lam Vien Forest Management Board mobilized about 60 people to participate. extinguish the fire in the above area.

It is known that by 22:20 on the same day, the Vice Chairman of Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee present at the scene confirmed that the fire was partially controlled, saying that it would likely be completely extinguished during the night.

Previously, on March 11, the 12-hectare Cam Ly landfill in Da Lat City in Ward 5 also smoldered, then erupted violently, creating a column of smoke tens of meters high covering a large area. Smoke and bad smell from the fire overflowed into residential areas in Ta Nung commune, Da Lat and Lam Ha district, causing serious pollution.

It is known that for many years, Lam Dong province has allowed forest owners to organize burning of vegetation in controlled forests, in order to eliminate combustible materials, mainly caused by fallen tree branches and leaves. onto the ground.

This method is quite effective in preventing forest fires, but it also leaves negative consequences such as destruction of vegetation under the forest canopy, no replacement of seedlings, and loss of biodiversity. of the forest, especially the pine forests... making the forest become arid, monotonous, reducing water storage in the rainy season, causing a high risk of landslides... seriously affecting the landscape and forest environment. Even some uncontrolled burning of vegetation has caused real forest fires in many localities.

On January 16, 2023, the People's Committee of Lam Dong province issued Document No. 465/UBND-LN directing to stop the burning of traditional vegetation as it has been doing for many years. The Provincial People's Committee assessed that in the past time, some forest owners have handled burning materials by clearing and burning vegetation to limit forest fires and damage to forest resources due to forest fires in the dry season. However, these units did not follow the prescribed procedures and techniques, which affected forest resources, landscape and general environment in the province.

In order to perform well the forest fire prevention and fighting work in the area in the dry season of 2022-2023, the People's Committee of Lam Dong province directs units and localities to immediately stop handling food; requested districts and two cities of Da Lat and Bao Loc to notify this policy to forest owners for implementation.

However, stopping burning of vegetation, although it is bringing many effects in terms of protecting natural resources and environmental landscapes, also leaves potential dangers, especially when many tourists come to Da Lat city and organize festivals. camping activities, cooking fires in the pine forests in the city area.

Da Lat is a city directly under Lam Dong province, located on Lam Vien plateau, at an altitude of 1,500 m above sea level. The city has a natural area of more than 393 km2, a population of more than 237,000 people (in 2022).

The forest area in the city by 2020 is more than 20,117 ha, of which 14,640 ha is natural forest. Forests in this city have both protective and landscape functions and play an important role in tourism development.

An Giang: The forest fire on Co To Mountain is controlled, some places still have smoldering smoke Nguyễn Kim17:29:41 27/04/2024The forest fire that occurred in the Co To mountain area (Nui To commune, Tri Ton district, An Giang) was basically controlled this morning. The current fire area has about 6-7 points still generating smoke.