According to the Vietnam Forestry Administration under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the area stretching from Thanh Hoa to Quang Ngai is currently under Level-5 wildfire alert, classified as “extremely dangerous.” The region is considered especially vulnerable as it continues to endure prolonged extreme heat combined with hot, dry winds from Laos.

Temperatures across many North-central provinces in recent days have ranged between 37°C and 39°C, with some areas recording above 39°C. Low humidity and persistently high temperatures have left forest vegetation severely dried out, making combustible materials highly flammable and allowing fires to spread rapidly once ignited.

Experts said the highest wildfire risk occurs between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day, when temperatures peak and dry winds intensify.

The heightened wildfire threat is not limited to North-central Vietnam. In the Central Highlands as well as several southern localities, wildfire warnings have also been issued at Levels 4 and 5, corresponding to “dangerous” and “extremely dangerous” conditions.

High-risk areas mainly include pine forests, dry melaleuca forests, and dipterocarp forests. Although scattered early-season rain has appeared in some places, soil moisture and forest litter layers remain too dry to significantly reduce the wildfire threat.

In addition to extreme weather conditions, forestry authorities warned that large accumulations of dry vegetation, combined with slash-and-burn farming and uncontrolled clearing activities during periods of strong winds, are further increasing the likelihood of forest fires.

Several northern provinces, including Phu Tho, Thai Nguyen, Lang Son, and Bac Ninh, have also been placed under Level-4 wildfire warnings due to dry early-season weather.

To proactively prevent and combat forest fires, local residents were urged not to conduct slash-and-burn activities or vegetation clearing during periods of extreme heat. Forest owners and ranger forces have also been instructed to strengthen patrols and maintain round-the-clock monitoring in high-risk areas.

The Vietnam Forestry Administration called on local authorities to closely monitor wildfire forecasts through specialised warning systems in order to promptly implement emergency response measures and prevent large-scale fires as extreme weather conditions are expected to continue.

Northern, Central Vietnam endure peak heatwave as temperatures exceed 40°C

VOV.VN - Northern and Central Vietnam are facing the most intense heatwave of the summer so far, with temperatures surpassing 40°C in many areas, including Hanoi and several provinces across the country.