Ca Mau (VNA) - More than 43,500 ha of forest inthe Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau is at high risk of fire during the existingdry season, which began in November and will last until the end of May, accordingto the province’s Forest Protection Sub-department.

The province has raised its warning to the fifth level- the highest - the sub-department said, adding that areas facing the most dangerare those with cajuput and acacia trees.

The drought has become more severe now as many canalsare running dry, making it difficult to extinguish fires.

Ca Mau has prepared itself by creating a forest fireprevention plan focusing on a “four-on-the-spot” strategy, but the most challengingissue is that it does not have sufficient water reserves to fight fires, accordingto the head of the sub-department, Le Van Hai.

Water levels in local canals now average just 0.9 metersand have fallen to 0.3 meters in some areas, Hai noted.

His unit has requested forest owners and management bodiesconduct regular patrols and maintain a round-the-clock watch on forests to promptly dealwith any emergency.

It has also intensified efforts to raise public awareness of the importance of following rules on forest fire preventionand forest protection. People are banned from entering forests to hunt wild animals,collect honey, and cut down trees illegally.

About 5,000 local households have signed commitmentsto become engaged in protecting the forests and preventing forest fires during thedry season.

A forest fire broke out in Hamlet 15, Khanh Lam commune,U Minh district a week ago, destroying around 1,500 sq.m of forest, mostly reeds.Caused by an illegal honey collector, the fire was the first in Ca Mau since thedry season began./.