A PM dispatch to ministries, branches and localities on March 5 said the prolonged dry spell has impacted many localities, especially the northern mountain, central, Central Highlands and Mekong Delta regions, resulting in major fires in several areas.

The PM asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention and Control to take responsibility for arranging fire watches to spot blazes and extinguish them promptly to prevent their expansion to primeval forests and natural preserves.

The National Committee for Search and Rescue and the Defence Ministry were asked to provide more forces to help the northern mountainous province of Son La to extinguish fires in the Ta Sua wildlife reserve and in areas bordering Son La and Yen Bai provinces.

The steering committee will cooperate with the Defence Ministry to provide emergency care and rescue and to ensure communications for fire fighters in Son La and Lai Chau provinces as well as other large-scale fire areas.

Local authorities at all levels will take responsibility for helping to raise public awareness on forest fire prevention, especially discouraging and controlling slash-and-burn farming for cultivation in dry season, which is said to be the main cause of forest fires.

Meanwhile, the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group under the Ministry of Information and Communications has been asked to ensure communications for the direction of the implementation of fire prevention and control in Son La, Lai Chau and Lao Cai provinces.