Director of the Ca Mau Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Phan Hoang Vu, said the fire broke out at 12.30 pm on April 10 at a plantation in Khanh Binh Tay Commune, Tran Van Thoi District.

"More than 600 people have been mobilised since Wednesday afternoon but faced difficulties as fire engines were unable to access the site while all the nearby lakes and canals have dried up," Vu said. "It was not until early Thursday morning that the fire was largely brought under control. However, 40 hectares of four-year-old melaleuca forest were destroyed, and the fire may continue to spread to the nearby 100-hectare forest due to dry weather and strong winds."

Chairman of Khanh Binh Tay Commune, Nguyen Canh Hanh, said that some 20 households that may have been affected by the fire were evacuated.

The forest protection sub-department under the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development recently said that most of the drought-hit forests are located in the areas of the U Minh Ha forestry company, the U Minh Ha National Park, the forest protection unit of Hon Khoai Island, and U Minh and Tran Van Thoi districts.

✕Forest fires spreading in Ca Mau



A large fire has burnt down over 40 hectares of forest in the southern province of Ca Mau and may spread amid prolonged drought and dry weather.



Director of the Ca Mau Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Phan Hoang Vu, said the fire broke out at 12.30 pm on April 10 at a plantation in Khanh Binh Tay Commune, Tran Van Thoi District.



"More than 300 people have been mobilised since Wednesday afternoon but faced difficulties as fire engines were unable to access the site while all the nearby lakes and canals have dried up," Vu said. "It was not until early Thursday morning that the fire was largely brought under control. However, 40 hectares of four-year-old melaleuca forest were destroyed, and the fire may continue to spread to the nearby 100-hectare forest due to dry weather and strong winds."



Chairman of Khanh Binh Tay Commune, Nguyen Canh Hanh, said that some 20 households that may have been affected by the fire were evacuated.



Among the over 33,000 hectares of drought-hit forest in the southernmost province, more than 13,530 hectares have been rated dangerous in terms of potential fire risks and nearly 4,000ha as extremely dangerous, local authorities said.

The forest protection sub-department under the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development recently said that most of the drought-hit forests are located in the areas of the U Minh Ha forestry company, the U Minh Ha National Park, the forest protection unit of Hon Khoai Island, and U Minh and Tran Van Thoi districts.