Around 2 pm on 24/6, a fire erupted in the pine hill area of the Mai Lam mountainous region, Hai Binh ward. The Thanh Hoa Provincial Police Department's Fire Prevention, Fighting, and Rescue Police Division dispatched 6 fire trucks and over 100 officers and soldiers to the scene.
The Thanh Hoa Provincial Military Command also mobilized over 400 officers, soldiers, permanent militia, and mobile militia to join the firefighting efforts. Forest rangers and local residents were called upon to assist.
The forces divided into multiple teams, approaching the fire from various directions. They both directly extinguished the flames and created fire breaks to prevent the fire from spreading to neighboring forests.
A leader from the Fire Prevention, Fighting, and Rescue Police Division stated that authorities used drones for aerial monitoring. This allowed them to assess the fire's spread direction and affected area, helping them choose appropriate response plans.
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The fire is spreading across the pine hill area in Hai Binh ward. Photo: Lam Son |
According to Lieutenant Colonel Le Trong Tai, head of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Police Department's Fire Prevention, Fighting, and Rescue Police Division, firefighting efforts faced many difficulties. This was due to the steep hilly terrain and the distance from water sources. Prolonged heat had caused the undergrowth to dry out, increasing the risk of the fire reigniting and spreading rapidly with the wind.
As of after 6 pm, forces continued to cordon off and address hotspots and smoldering fires within the forest. The cause of the blaze and the extent of forest damage have not yet been determined.
At the same time, two other forest fires also broke out in Truc Lam ward and Dao Duy Tu ward. Authorities are mobilizing personnel and vehicles to access these scenes and bring them under control.
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Soldiers created fire breaks to prevent the fire from spreading to neighboring forests. Photo: Lam Son |
Thanh Hoa is currently experiencing peak heat, leading to a very high risk of forest fires. According to the Forest Protection Department under the Department of Agriculture and Environment, from 23-25/6, 99 communes and wards in the area were under forest fire warning level V, indicating an extremely dangerous risk. Additionally, 11 communes and wards were at level III, a high-risk level.
The forest protection agency stated that prolonged dry weather, low humidity, and high temperatures mean even a small ignition source can cause a large fire if not detected and handled promptly.
Le Hoang
