According to the Ranger Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, fire danger warnings are at level 5, the highest level, in 19 provinces and cities. Fire danger warnings for 24 other localities are at level 4. Since early this month, 59 forest fires have been reported in 13 provinces and cities across the country with an average of more than 60 fire spottings as many as 140 in high-risk localities. Big fire forests have broken out in the northern mountainous provinces of Cao Bang, Son La and Yen Bai.

Deputy PM Hai asked the Central Steering Board and local authorities to supervise forest fire prevention and control measures and report regularly to the Government.

Mr Hai said the main cause of fire forests is due to the practice of slash-and-burn farming. It is imperative to raise public awareness of fire prevention and to instruct local forestry officials to keep a close watch on fire-prone forests and sniff out any blaze before it spreads, Mr Hai warned.