Hundreds mobilised overnight to contain forest fire in Central Vietnam
VOV.VN - Hundreds of military personnel, police officers, forest rangers and local residents worked through the night to contain a forest fire that broke out in Nghe An province, central Vietnam, as extreme heat and strong winds fueled the spread of the blaze.
According to local authorities, the fire erupted at around 2 p.m. on June 21 in a hilly area of Khanh Son village, Thien Nhan commune.
The blaze initially started in a small area of dry undergrowth but quickly spread due to prolonged hot weather, strong southwest foehn winds and highly flammable vegetation.
Despite early firefighting efforts, the fire remained active and continued to develop unpredictably until late in the evening. By approximately 11 p.m., local authorities reported that the situation was still complicated.
In response, local authorities coordinated with the Nam Dan–Hung Nguyen Forest Rangers Division, the Mobile Forest Ranger Unit and the Fire Prevention, Firefighting and Rescue Police Division to deploy hundreds of personnel to the scene. Specialised firefighting equipment and additional forces were also mobilised.
Firefighters were divided into multiple teams to approach the affected area from different directions. Their efforts focused on clearing vegetation, creating firebreaks and isolating hotspots to prevent the flames from spreading further.
However, the operation faced significant challenges due to the rugged terrain and the abundance of dry grass, reeds and combustible plant material covering the hillsides.
A representative of the Nam Dan–Hung Nguyen Forest Rangers Division said the affected area was formerly a pine forest that had experienced fire damage in the past and is now largely covered by regenerated vegetation with a thick layer of undergrowth.
Throughout the night, firefighting teams concentrated on creating firebreaks along the boundary between Khanh Son village in Thien Nhan commune and Nam Loc area in Van An commune to prevent the fire from spreading into neighbouring zones.
According to the Nghe An Forest Rangers Sub-Department, emergency crews were on site overnight, closely monitoring the fire and implementing measures to protect nearby residents and surrounding acacia plantations.
Preliminary assessments suggest the blaze may have originated from vegetation-clearing activities carried out by local residents in preparation for acacia cultivation, with the fire subsequently spreading beyond control.
Wildfires break out in Central Vietnam as extreme heat pushes temperatures above 40°C
VOV.VN - A series of forest and vegetation fires broke out across Nghe An, Quang Tri and several central Vietnamese localities on June 7 as temperatures soared above 39-40°C.
