In the first half of 2025, the weather conditions in Mường Nhé district were complex, especially from January to March, with prolonged drought causing difficulties in agricultural activities as well as forest management, protection, and wildfire prevention. However, thanks to the coordinated efforts of the authorities and the local community, the management and protection of forests and wildfire prevention in the district achieved positive results. The forest area has been strictly managed and protected; forest violations have been discovered early and handled promptly. The communication efforts have been innovated and strengthened, helping raise public awareness of their role and responsibility in forest protection and development.

Pờ Ly Hoa from Sín Thầu commune shared: “Although the people here mainly farm on sloped land and face many difficulties, the demand for firewood still exists, but we understand that the forest is a long-term source of livelihood. Therefore, we actively collaborate with the forest rangers to patrol and participate in forest protection and wildfire prevention.”

Mường Nhé district covers an area of 156,908.13 hectares, of which 125,797.3 hectares are designated for forestry, accounting for 80.17% of the total district area. The current forest area stands at 87,814.04 hectares, including 86,812.83 hectares of natural forest and 1,001.21 hectares of planted forest, with a forest cover rate of 55.97%. As a highland district, a border area with a large forest area, forest protection and wildfire prevention are always important tasks that have received special attention from all levels and sectors. In recent years, forest management and protection in Mường Nhé district have seen positive changes thanks to the mobilization of both the political system and the proactive involvement of the people.

Nguyễn Đình Cương, Head of the Mường Nhé Forest Ranger Division, emphasized: “Effective forest protection cannot rely solely on forest rangers. We must leverage the power of the community. Local authorities have actively propagated, mobilized, and established forest protection teams in the villages. The people are not just recipients of information but are also directly involved in patrolling, detecting violations, and handling them. As a result, the awareness of forest protection has spread widely within the community, gradually forming a solid forest protection network from the grassroots level.”

In the first half of 2025, the district conducted 395 forest patrols, with 2,436 participants (excluding patrols organized by landowners). It also organized 29 propaganda activities with 1,468 participants, and 1,145 people signed commitments to protect forests. As a result, the awareness and responsibility of government agencies, local authorities, and people in forest management, conservation, and wildfire prevention have been raised, creating positive changes in forest protection and sustainable development efforts.

The Forest Ranger Division has worked closely with other forces such as the police, the people's procuracy, the border guard, the tax department, and the market management team in handling reports and resolving violations in forest protection. From the beginning of the year, the department has detected and handled 14 administrative violations in the forestry sector, including three violations of wildlife protection regulations, 10 cases of illegal deforestation with more than 1.2 hectares of forest destroyed, and one case of forest land conversion with 0.268 hectares affected. The total fine for these violations amounted to nearly VND 138 million, with over VND 130 million paid into the state budget.

In wildfire prevention, the Forest Ranger Division has coordinated with local authorities to organize joint patrols and inspections. Notably, the effective implementation of the coordination plan between forest rangers, local police, military units, militia forces, and border guards has contributed to improved forest protection and wildfire prevention at the grassroots level. In the first half of 2025, the ranger force checked 236 fire-prone areas, finding no forest fires. This confirms the seriousness and effectiveness of the wildfire prevention efforts.

These figures clearly demonstrate the efforts of the authorities, local officials, and communities in forest protection. The positive results show that the awareness and responsibility of society in forest management and nature conservation have been continuously improved, contributing to a significant change in wildfire prevention and sustainable forest development.