Decision No. 127/2000/QD-BNN-KL On issuing regulations on forest fire warning levels, alerts, and measures to organize forest fire prevention and extinguishing

DECISION OF THE MINISTER

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Issuing regulations on issuing forest fire forecasts, warnings, and measures for organizing and implementing forest fire prevention and extinguishing

MINISTER OF THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Pursuant to Decision No. 73/CP dated November 1, 1995 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

Pursuant to the Forest Protection and Development Law dated August 19, 1991;

Pursuant to Decree No. 22/CP dated March 9, 1995 of the Government on issuing regulations on forest fire prevention and extinguishing;

Pursuant to Directive No. 19/TTg dated April 17, 1999 of the Prime Minister on urgent measures for forest fire prevention and extinguishing;

Pursuant to Decision No. 1856/NN/KL-QĐ dated November 1, 1996 of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development on building forest fire forecast levels;

Based on the proposal of the Director of the Forest Protection Department and the Director of the Science, Technology and Product Quality Department,

DECISION:

Article 1. This decision promulgates the regulations on forest fire forecast levels, warnings, and measures for organizing and implementing forest fire prevention and extinguishing.

Article 2. This Decision takes effect from the date of signature.

Article 3. The Heads of the Ministry's Office, the Director of the Forest Protection Department, the Director of the Science, Technology and Product Quality Department, the Directors of Provincial Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Chiefs of Provincial Forest Protection Services under the central government, and the heads of relevant units under the ministry are responsible for enforcing this decision.

                                                                            SIGNATURE OF THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
                                                                                                      DEPUTY MINISTER



 
                                                                                                      Nguyen Van Dang

REGULATIONS

ON FOREST FIRE FORECAST LEVELS, WARNINGS, AND MEASURES FOR ORGANIZING AND IMPLEMENTING

FOREST FIRE PREVENTION AND EXTINGUISHING

(Issued together with Decision No. 127/2000/QĐ-BNN-KL dated December 11, 2000

of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development)

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1

Article 1. These regulations stipulate the methods for determining forest fire levels, forecasting, and warning systems for forest fire prevention and extinguishing in various ecological regions of the country.

Article 2. Forest fire prevention and extinguishing are the responsibility and duty of every citizen.

Article 3. Units directly managing and protecting forests, and forest owners shall advise local People's Committees to organize forest fire forecasting and prevention activities.

Article 2

Clause 1. Agencies, units, enterprises, and military forces stationed in areas with forests and adjacent to forests must strictly comply with forest fire forecast levels and warnings when issued.

Clause 2. Heads of agencies and units have the responsibility to educate and urge their staff and soldiers to comply with current regulations on forest protection and fire prevention, and actively participate in firefighting efforts.

Article 3

Clause 1. The Forest Protection Departments at all levels are responsible for organizing forest fire forecasts and promptly disseminating forest fire forecast levels from the central level to local areas throughout the fire season.

Article 2. This Decision takes effect from the date of signature.

Chapter II ISSUING ALARMS AND DISSEMINATING FIRE PREVENTION AND EXTINCTION ORDERS IN FOREST AREAS

Article 4

The fire prevention and extinguishing alarm levels for forest areas consist of five levels from Level I to Level V; the sign indicating the alarm level for fire prevention and extinguishing in forest areas is half a circle with an outer diameter of 2.5 meters and an inner diameter of 1.8 meters, white background, red border, and an arrow (rotatable) pointing to the forecast level from Level I to Level V. The method for calculating the fire prevention and extinguishing forecast level in forest areas and the tables for checking the fire prevention forecast level in forests have been issued by the People's Committee of provinces and centrally governed cities where there are forests. Alarm Level I: Low likelihood of forest fires, the arrow on the sign points to number I. The Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune directs the Forest Fire Prevention and Extinguishment Command Post and forest owners to cooperate with the Forest Rangers to implement fire prevention and extinguishing plans in forests. Organize inspections, guide production zones, disseminate education on fire prevention and extinguishing in forests, and ensure proper burning techniques for clearing land. Alarm Level II: Moderate likelihood of forest fires, the arrow on the sign points to number II. The Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune directs the Forest Fire Prevention and Extinguishment Command Post and forest owners to strengthen inspections, urge the deployment of personnel to guard against fires, and be ready to promptly extinguish fires when they occur, provide guidance on proper land clearing techniques. Alarm Level III: High likelihood of widespread forest fires, the arrow on the sign points to number III. Dry weather conditions persist, making forest fires more likely, with particular attention to preventing fires in various types of forests such as pine, eucalyptus, acacia, bamboo, melaleuca, etc. The Chairman of the People's Committee of the district or town directs the Forest Fire Prevention and Extinguishment Command Post and the Forest Rangers to urge forest owners to prevent fires, prohibit burning of land for cultivation. Forest owners must regularly inspect guarding forces and contracted management protection forces, especially those responsible for planting forests. Guarding forces must be on duty 10/24 hours daily (from 10 AM to 8 PM).

Pay special attention during peak hours.

When a forest fire occurs, the Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune has the authority to mobilize all available forces and means to participate in extinguishing the fire.

Alarm Level IV: High risk of forest fires, the arrow on the sign points to number IV. Dry weather conditions persist, posing a high risk of large-scale forest fires, with rapid spread of flames. The Chairman of the People's Committee of the district or town and the Forest Fire Prevention and Extinguishment Command Post directly direct fire prevention and extinguishing activities in the locality. Forest owners and forest ranger forces must strictly inspect key areas prone to fires. Guarding forces must always be on watchtowers and outside the forest area, ensuring 12/24-hour duty (from 9 AM to 9 PM), especially during peak hours.

Timely detect fire outbreaks, issue alarms, and mobilize forces and means to extinguish fires immediately. The district requests the province to reinforce forces and means for firefighting when necessary.

Forecasters must closely monitor meteorological and hydrological conditions to provide timely forecasts and reports via computer networks and mass media about the fire alert level and fire situation in the locality daily. Alarm Level V: Very dangerous, dry, drought, and arid conditions persist, posing a high risk of large-scale fires in all types of forests, with very rapid spread of flames, the arrow on the sign points to number V. The Chairman of the People's Committee of the province directly directs the Forest Inspection Division, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Forest Fire Prevention and Extinguishment Command Post at provincial, district, and commune levels, and forest owners. Firefighting police forces cooperate with forest ranger forces to strictly inspect key fire-prone areas, ensuring 24/24-hour duty, and increase checks on people and means entering the forest. Regularly inform regulations on using fire in the forest and its vicinity. Upon occurrence of a fire, immediately mobilize forces and means to extinguish it, conduct investigations to identify perpetrators and impose strict penalties. If necessary, request central support for firefighting forces and means.

During the forest fire season, forecasters must closely monitor weather, meteorological, and hydrological conditions to provide regular and continuous daily forecasts and information through mass media. Especially when forecasting Levels IV and V, forecasters must ensure smooth information flow during peak fire-prone periods and promptly report fire prevention and extinguishing situations to higher authorities.

The alarm signs are made of metal and placed along roads near forests, forest gates, places with heavy pedestrian traffic, at Forest Ranger Stations, Forestry Farms, agencies, and units located within and near forests according to a unified national model guided by the Forest Inspection Bureau.

After consolidating the forecast situation from the National Meteorological and Hydrological Forecast Center and forest fire forecast stations in provinces and centrally governed cities, the National Forest Fire Prevention and Extinguishment Steering Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issues a decision to sound the alarm; upon receiving the alarm order, the Forest Fire Prevention and Extinguishment Command Posts at all levels organize the implementation of fire prevention and extinguishing work in forest areas according to the prescribed measures in the table: Measures for Implementing Fire Prevention and Extinguishment in Forest Areas in Vietnam's Ecological Zones.

Article 5

The warning signs shall be made of metal and placed on the road axis near forests, forest gates, areas with high pedestrian traffic, at Forest Ranger Stations, Forestry Schools, agencies, and units located within forests and near forests... following a unified national model guided by the Forest Protection Department.

Article 6

After consolidating the forecast situation from the National Hydro-Meteorological Forecast Center and the forest fire forecast stations in provinces and centrally governed cities, the Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention and Control under the Ministry shall submit to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development for issuance of a decision to issue a warning; upon receipt of the warning order, the forest fire prevention and control command teams at all levels shall implement forest fire prevention and control work according to the regulations set out in the table: Measures for organizing the implementation of forest fire prevention and control in the ecological regions of the country.

Article 3. The Director of the Ministry's Office, the Chief of the Forest Protection Department, the Head of the Science, Technology and Forest Protection Department, the Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Chiefs of the Forest Protection Sub-departments of provinces and centrally governed cities, and the heads of relevant units under the Ministry shall be responsible for implementing this Decision.

REGULATIONS ON FORECASTING AND ALARMING FOR FOREST FIRE PREVENTION AND SUPPRESSION (Annexed to Decision No. 127/BNN/KHCN-QD dated December 11, 2000 of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development)

Chapter III ORGANIZATION AND FORCES FOR FOREST FIRE PREVENTION AND SUPPRESSION

, Clause 1, Clause 2 Article 7a of this Regulation.

The People's Committee of provinces and centrally governed cities shall regularly strengthen and improve the Provincial, District, Commune, and Town Forest Fire Prevention and Suppression Command Boards at all levels in accordance with Decree No. 22/CP of the Government dated March 9, 1995. These Command Boards shall assist the People's Committees at their respective levels in regularly inspecting and urging forest owners and related units to implement fire prevention and suppression forecasts and alarms to strictly protect local forest resources throughout the fire season according to the forest fire forecast network layout scheme attached as an appendix.

Article 8

1. The Forest Protection Organizations at all levels shall assist the Chairmen of the People's Committees at their respective levels in directing and guiding forest owners to develop forest fire prevention and suppression plans; regularly publicize regulations on forest fire prevention and suppression, and production techniques for shifting cultivation according to the table of shifting cultivation zones attached as an appendix; promptly report forest fire situations and issue forest fire prevention and suppression alarms to key fire-prone areas; direct the Fire Forecast Stations to collect and calculate clear and accurate fire prevention and suppression forecasts and alarms for each region.

2. The Forest Protection Organizations shall cooperate with the Public Security Fire Prevention and Suppression Units to regularly inspect the implementation of forest fire prevention and suppression, including both natural forests and newly planted forests, and organize periodic reviews and evaluations of forest fire prevention and suppression work in each province.

3. The Forest Protection Organizations shall cooperate with law enforcement agencies to thoroughly and promptly investigate, verify, and handle violations of forest fire prevention and suppression regulations.

Article 9

1. Agencies, units, forest owners, enterprises, and farms shall cooperate with military units stationed within and adjacent to the forests to establish voluntary forest fire prevention and suppression teams and must have the responsibility to coordinate with the local Forest Fire Prevention and Suppression Command Boards and follow their specialized guidance on forest fire prevention and suppression operations.

2. The Forest Protection Organizations shall cooperate with the Public Security Fire Prevention and Suppression Units to provide training and specialized instruction on forest fire prevention and suppression for forest fire prevention and suppression teams.

Chapter IV FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR FOREST FIRE PREVENTION AND SUPPRESSION WORK

Article 10

1. Annually, units shall base their budget estimates for forest fire prevention and suppression forecasting work on Circular No. 06 TT/LB dated January 22, 1996 of the Ministry of Finance - Agriculture and Rural Development on guidelines for planning, allocating, managing, and settling accounts for funds for forest fire prevention and suppression forecasting work. At the central level: The Planning and Master Planning Department, the Forest Protection Department, and the Financial and Accounting Department shall prepare plans for funds for forest fire prevention and suppression forecasting work for submission to the Ministry for review and approval. At the local level: Annually, the Provincial and Centrally Governed City Forest Fire Prevention and Suppression Command Boards and the Forest Protection Sub-departments shall base their budget plans for the entire province or centrally governed city on the needs of forest fire forecasting work and information on fire prevention and suppression forecasts and alarms, submitting these plans for approval by the Provincial People's Committee.

2. For plantations funded by the own capital of Forestry Farms, Agricultural Farms, units, and individuals, these forest owners must annually allocate part of the project funds for forest fire prevention and suppression activities.

Article 11

The financial resources allocated for forest fire prevention and suppression forecasting and alarming work must be used for their intended purposes and meet technical requirements. The Forest Fire Prevention and Suppression Command Boards at all levels shall closely coordinate with relevant sectors to regularly guide, monitor, and inspect the implementation of fire prevention and suppression forecasting and alarm information dissemination work.

Chapter V IMPLEMENTATION ORGANIZATION

Article 12

1\. The Forest Inspection Department, the Permanent Office for Fire Preventionand Fighting in Forests shall be the specialized directing agency responsible forassisting the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to coordinate withthe General Bureau of Hydro-meteorology to organize the establishment of thenational forest fire forecasting center to forecast and provide information onvarious levels of fire warnings and alerts through computer networks and mediato prevent and fight forest fires nationwide; direct localities to organize fireprevention and fighting activities according to warning levels throughout thecountry.

2\. The Provincial and Municipal Forest Fire Prevention and Fighting CommandBodies, in conjunction with the Forest Inspection Sub-departments, Departments ofAgriculture and Rural Development, and local hydro-meteorological stations shallbe responsible for assisting People's Committees at all levels to implement theestablishment of a forest fire forecasting network from provincial to grassrootslevels; organize and direct the implementation of forecasting and providinginformation on warning levels for fire prevention and fighting from provincesto villages, hamlets, and communes during the forest fire season, especiallyduring dry, drought, and arid months when forest fires are likely to occur.

Article 13

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's Forest Fire Preventionand Fighting Steering Committee shall be responsible for guiding, directing, andinspecting the implementation of this Regulation for all levels and sectors inprovinces and centrally-administered cities in coordination with relevantministries and sectors to develop and promulgate technical procedures and normsfor fire prevention and fighting in forests, and report periodically.

Article 14 Organizations and individuals who have achievements in forest fireforecasting and implementing according to warning levels and alerts for fireprevention and fighting shall be rewarded according to state regulations.

Article 15 Any person violating state regulations on fire prevention andfighting in forests shall, depending on the nature and degree of violation, besubjected to administrative penalties or criminal responsibility.

Article 16 During the implementation of the provisions of this regulation, ifany difficulties or new issues arise, localities must promptly report to theMinistry for appropriate amendments and supplements.

 

ANNEX

1\. Determination of the forest fire season in provinces and centrally-administeredcities:

Through calculations and analysis of average monthly rainfall over manyyears in relation to average temperature over many years. Based on correlationanalysis, calculate using Professor Thai Van Trung's dry day index; based on themulti-year potential evaporation; based on the number of forest fires occurringover many years and flammable materials in provinces and centrally-administeredcities, thereby determining the forest fire season for each province and city.Paying attention to fire prevention during dry, drought, and arid months withlow annual rainfall in each province.

The formula for determining the fire season according to Professor Thai VanTrung consists of three consecutive numbers as follows:

X:        S; A; D.

Where:

            X: Is the Thai Van Trung Index.

            S: Is the number of dry months in a year, with monthly dry rainfall P^{Granite, gabbro, decorative stone...}Provincial People's Committees set specific prices^{Granite, gabbro, decorative stone...} Ê 2t⁰.

            organize credit institutions, foreign bank branches are responsible for organizing the implementation of this Circular.⁰:         Is the average temperature of the dry month.

            A: Is the number of drought months in a year, with monthly drought rainfall P^{Granite, gabbro, decorative stone...}a^{Granite, gabbro, decorative stone...} Ê organize credit institutions, foreign bank branches are responsible for organizing the implementation of this Circular.⁰.

            organize credit institutions, foreign bank branches are responsible for organizing the implementation of this Circular.⁰:         Is the average temperature of the drought month.

            D: Is the number of arid months in a year, with monthly rainfall Ê 5^mm.

Additionally, determine the fire season according to the Gaussel Walterdiagram showing the relationship between average monthly rainfall andtemperature.

2\. Daily forest fire prediction formula according to the P index of Nesteropfor ecological regions.

The calculation formula for the Nesterop P index is based on adjusting theK coefficient according to daily rainfall (a) by Pham Ngoc Hung:

                                                           _n

                                                 P = Kồ d.1. Amount of taxable income in Vietnam:⁰₁₃ x D_n13                              (1)

                                                             ^{internationalJune 2024; 1}

Of which:

K: Adjustment coefficient according to daily rainfall (a)

K has two values:

K = 1 when a < 5mm

K = 0 when a ³ 5mm, or there is a prolonged drizzle lasting 3-5 days, even if the rainfalldoes not reach 5mm, K remains 0.

d.1. Amount of taxable income in Vietnam:⁰₁₃: Temperature measured at 13:00, the peak time when forest fires are mostlikely to occur.

D_n13: Dew point measured at 13:00. The P index is calculated based on threeweather factors measured, calculated, and reported by the meteorologicalhydrological station in each region.

3\. Formula for calculating the comprehensive fire warning level for daily andlong-term forecasts based on the continuous dry day index H for provinces andcentrally-administered cities in ecological regions.

            Hi = K (H_i-1+ n)                                              (2)

Of which:

            H_{international}:       Is the continuous dry day index.

            K: Has the same meaning as K in formula (1)

H_i-1:     Is the number of continuous dry days in the previous forecast period.

            n: Is the number of dry days in the next forecast period.

4\. Forest fire prediction formula based on fuel moisture content:

Annotation: W% VLCR calculated by two formulas:

                         Granite, gabbro, decorative stone...₀ - m₁

W% =                                             x 100% (1)

                        Granite, gabbro, decorative stone...₀                                                                   

 

                         Granite, gabbro, decorative stone...₀ - m₁

W% =                                             x 100% (2)

                        Granite, gabbro, decorative stone...₀                                           

- Formula (1): Calculates the relative moisture content of dried forestfuel material.

Of which:        

Granite, gabbro, decorative stone...₀ Is the weight of wet fuel material (g).

Granite, gabbro, decorative stone...₁ Is the weight of dried fuel material after drying (g).

- Formula (2):           Moisture content of completely dried fuel material.

- To find the moisture content of fuel material, it is necessary to dry itat 100⁰C ± 5⁰Until the difference in weight after two weighings does not exceed 3% of theweight.

- In addition, to determine W% of forest fuel material, the outside foresttracer method is also used to predict the likelihood of fire ignition and spreadin the forest.

 

TABLE OF REGULATIONS ON THE ZONING OF SWIDDIFARMING AREAS TO PREVENT FIRESPREADING INTO FORESTS

ON STEEP LAND

1 Forest Inspection Stations shall assist the People's Committees ofdistricts in statistics, management, temporary zoning, reviewing, and grantingpermission for swiddifarming on areas of land designated by the People'sCommittees. In zoning swiddifarming areas, first, delineate the zones clearlywith boundary markers posted on-site and create maps classifying the land forswiddifarming production.

2\. Within permitted swiddifarming areas, when clearing land for swiddifarming,all vegetation must be cleared, dried, and piled into strips 2-3 meters wide,with each strip spaced 5-6 meters apart, and the strip closest to the forestmust be at least 6-8 meters away from the forest edge. Burn during light windconditions in the late afternoon or early morning, burning one strip at a timefrom the top of the hill down to the bottom.

3\. When burning, there must be someone guarding, with one guard every 10-15meters along the perimeter. Burning must be reported to the Village Chief, theForest Management Board of the commune, and the firefighting team of the cooperativesociety, absolutely preventing fire from spreading into the forest.. After burning, thoroughly check the area until the fire is completelyextinguished before leaving.

4. Closely integrate shifting cultivation zones with land allocation and forest allocation; establish stable farming and settlement patterns, develop forest garden economies, forest camps for forest management and fire prevention and extinguishing in accordance with the law and regulations to ensure forest safety from fires throughout the dry season for households responsible for forest protection.

5. Each year, units must compile and report the situation of shifting cultivation production to higher authorities in accordance with the provisions./.