Ha Cong Tuan, head of the ministry’s Forest Management Department, said that the ministry had raised fire alerts to their highest levels in 42 cities and provinces such as Ca Mau, An Giang, Dong Nai, Kien Giang, Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Lam Dong, Binh Phuoc, Ba Ria-Vung Tau,  Nghe An, Quang Ngai, Hoa Binh, Cao Bang, Lang Son and Yen Bai.

U Minh Ha National Park is an example for the seriousness of these fire risks. More than 36,000ha of forests in the U Minh Ha National Park were at their highest fire alerts, after two small fires took place in recent days due to slash and burn farming, Le Van Hai, deputy head of the southern most Ca Mau province’s Forest Management Department.

The ministry urged all localities to implement preventive measures to combat forest fires by entrusting more people to carry out regular patrols in the forests, equipping more modern fire prevention equipment and marking plans to combat fires when they occurred.

The Vietnam Environment and Hydrometeorology Science Institute said that El Nino weather was forecast to last through May, so high temperatures and droughts would continue to take place.