Hanoi (VNA) - A fire broke out in the protected pine forest in Hanoi’soutlying district of Soc Son on June 5, resulting in the destruction of 100hectares.

Nocasualties were reported.

Accordingto Chu Phu My, director of Hanoi’s Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentDepartment, the cause of the fire has not been determined, but the extreme hotweather that has lingered over northern provinces in the past week could be thereason.

Thefire reportedly started around 1.30pm on Monday in a forest in the district’sNam Son commune. As the weather was too hot, the flames spread quickly, and acolumn of smoke could be seen rising more than 100 metres above the forest.

About2,000 people, including the local police and fire-fighting forces, weremobilised to prevent the fire from spreading, My said, adding that this was thebiggest fire ever recorded in this area.

Asthe fire raged in the pine and acacia forest — inflammable material — and itoccurred on the hillside far away from the city, it was difficult to detect.

Thefire was brought under control at 3am on June 6.

Asmany as 20 households living close to the fire were evacuated for safety on June5, he said.

BuiXuan Thang, a resident from Nam Son commune’s Hoa Son village, said the firedestroyed over 15ha of the family’s pine tree and acacia forest.

Therehave been five cases of fire in the Nam Son protective forest since 2002,however, the damage was limited, as it was detected early, he said.

Thangsaid that at least 10 other households had been affected by the fire.

Alsoon June 5, a fire occurred in the forest area of Hoang Nong, La Bang and Quan Chucommunes of Dai Tu district in the northern province of Thai Nguyen.

About13ha of protective forest under the management of Tam Dao National Park werereported to be affected by the fire.

Investigationsinto the incidents are underway.-VNA