Prepared to respond

A forest fire response drill was recently conducted by the community of Hạ Thanh, Thanh Nưa Commune (Điện Biên District). The simulated scenario involved a resident of Hồng Lệnh Hamlet spotting white smoke rising from a section of the forest under community management.

Immediately, the “Fire Safety Alarm Gong” along the village road was struck. Upon hearing the alert, villagers from Hồng Lệnh and neighboring areas rushed to the scene, carrying firefighting tools such as fire beaters, sickles, shovels, hoes, and machetes. The Forest Protection and Management Team quickly organized and deployed forces to the smoke site, implementing the “four on-the-spots” principle (on-the-spot command, on-the-spot forces, on-the-spot equipment and supplies, on-the-spot logistics) for forest fire response.

The response force was divided into specialized teams with assigned tasks: One team used fire beaters and fresh branches to extinguish flames, while another team cleared dry grass and expanded firebreaks to prevent the fire from spreading. After just 15 minutes, the coordinated efforts fully extinguished the fire, preventing damage to the forest.

Mr. Lò Văn Xuân, Head of the Forest Protection and Management Team of Hồng Lệnh Hamlet, stated that in recent days, the forest areas under their management have been under extreme fire risk warnings. Along with raising the public’s awareness, training quick response skills through drills plays a crucial role in effective wildfire management.

“The Forest Protection and Management Team has proactively prepared response measures. We inspect firefighting tools provided by authorities, encourage each household to equip their own tools, and conduct training sessions to improve reaction and fire suppression skills. If a fire occurs, we immediately mobilize all available local resources. In case of a large-scale fire, we promptly report it to the commune’s Disaster Prevention and Search-Rescue Committee and the local forestry officers to request additional support,” Mr. Xuân explained.

Thanks to their experience and proactive approach, despite three past fire incidents, the community-managed forest areas of Hạ Thanh have not suffered significant losses.

Prevention is better than cure

The dry season coincides with the peak period of forest-adjacent agricultural activities, such as slash-and-burn farming, firewood collection, non-timber forest product harvesting, and honey gathering. Adopting the “Prevention Over Suppression” strategy, local forest rangers are stationed on-site, guiding communities on fire prevention techniques and regularly patrolling high-risk areas.

Nà Pen Hamlet, Nà Nhạn Commune (Điện Biên Phủ City) manages over 880 hectares of protected forest. In recent weeks, 25 members of the Forest Protection and Management Team have been patrolling in small groups across the forest. As most trees in the area are mixed wood species, the region has been on high fire risk alerts for years. Therefore, each household signs a commitment to comply with forest protection regulations.

“Despite these precautions, fire risks persist due to farming practices,” said Mr. Mùa A Đồng, a member of the Nà Pen Forest Protection and Management Team. “We prioritize regular patrols to detect fire risks early. During patrols, we clear dry vegetation, maintain firebreaks, and ensure that before any slash-and-burn activity or honey harvesting, residents inform the village head or forest protection team for strict monitoring.”

Điện Biên Province has over 423,100 hectares of forested land, primarily natural forest. Mr. Nguyễn Mạnh Toàn, Deputy Director of the provincial Forest Protection Branch, emphasized the immense challenges in wildfire prevention, given the large forest area, harsh climate conditions, and the traditional farming practices of ethnic communities, who rely on swidden agriculture.

The on-going extreme heat wave poses a high fire risk across the province. The provincial Forest Protection Branch has been closely monitoring weather patterns to issue detailed daily fire risk warnings to districts, towns, and cities. According to the latest fire risk forecast (from February 17-23), most areas in Điện Biên are at Level V - extreme fire danger.

High-risk areas are identified: Điện Biên Valley Region (Điện Biên, Điện Biên Đông, Điện Biên Phủ City), Tuần Giáo Region (Tuần Giáo, Tủa Chùa, Mường Ảng), Mường Lay Region (Mường Nhé, Nậm Pồ, Mường Chà, and Mường Lay Town).

In response, local authorities have mobilized efforts. Forest rangers, police, and military forces are collaborating to promote awareness, enforce fire prevention measures, and monitor violations in forest management. Local forest rangers are deployed 24/7 to coordinate with local governments, forest owners, and community groups in implementing fire prevention strategies. Measures include: Providing fire risk level charts, updating forest fire alerts on official forestry websites, and organizing fire prevention drills.

As part of these measures, over 1,231 community firefighting teams have been established at the village level, with nearly 12,800 members trained to respond to fire incidents. Each team is assigned specific roles and responsibilities to ensure an effective response. Essential firefighting tools and resources are pre-positioned, and some high-risk areas have round-the-clock monitoring stations, ensuring rapid intervention in case of wildfires.