Nearly 70,000 hectares of protective and special-use forests along border areas in the southern province of Tay Ninh are withering in the peak of the prolonged dry season, making them vulnerable to fire.

Four small-scale fires have been recorded already at Lo Go Xa Mat National Park and the forests of Nui Ba and Dau Tieng.

On April 2, the provincial Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention directed forest management boards and authorities of border districts to come up with plans to prevent forest fires.

Relevant units were asked to inspect forests that are at high risk of fire, especially those in areas bordering Cambodia, and to deploy forces and fire extinguishers in case any fire occurs.

Tay Ninh has assigned 37 fire-fighting teams to forests and national parks, and offered fire-fighting training to over 1,300 locals.-VNA