Directive No. 75/2005/CT-BNN on Strengthening the Implementation of Forest Fire Prevention and Control Work

DIRECTIVE OF THE MINISTER

On Strengthening Forest Fire Prevention and Control Work

In 2004 and the early months of 2005, many efforts were made at all levels to prevent forest fires, mobilizing tens of thousands of people and equipment to participate in firefighting activities. Many forest fires were promptly detected and handled, thereby reducing significant losses. However, the situation of forest fires in the past year was still severe, causing serious consequences in many localities. Given the current situation of forest fires and the complex weather conditions, it is necessary to organize forest fire prevention and control work more resolutely, strongly, and timely.

To proactively implement measures for forest fire prevention and respond promptly to forest fire situations in 2006, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Head of the Central Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention and Control, requests:

1. Provincial People's Committees under the central government shall direct all levels to strictly implement Directive No. 21/2002/CT-TTg dated December 12, 2002 of the Prime Minister on strengthening forest fire prevention and control measures, and take the following key measures proactively:

- At all levels, the Forest Fire Prevention and Control Command shall organize evaluations to draw lessons from the management and operation of forest fire prevention and control work during the dry season of 2004-2005, assign specific responsibilities to each member, direct and inspect forest fire prevention and control plans down to the grassroots level, ensuring sufficient forces, equipment, logistics, and proactive firefighting from the outset; Direct relevant departments to strengthen inspection measures to promptly detect and prevent illegal deforestation and burning for shifting cultivation; specify areas strictly prohibited from burning for shifting cultivation and other uses of fire in important forest areas with high risk of forest fires; Direct inter-sectoral forces (Forest Rangers, Police, Military) to review joint regulations and plans, organize patrols, and arrange forces to support checkpoints to prevent unauthorized entry into important forest areas with high risk of forest fires during peak periods of the dry season; guide and strictly control burning for shifting cultivation in permitted areas to prevent spread to surrounding areas.

- Direct local radio, television, and newspaper agencies to increase warning broadcasts about the risk of forest fires, promote and mobilize the public to strictly comply with the Party and State's policies on forest protection and development;

- Report promptly on the situation of forest fires in their locality to the Central Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention and Control. Direct investigations and strict handling of organizations and individuals causing forest fires and forest owners who are negligent in allowing such fires to occur. Allocate sufficient and timely funds for forest fire prevention and control according to Circular No. 62/2005/TTLT-BTC-BNN&PTNT issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Finance.

2. Provincial Forest Ranger Inspection Offices shall actively advise local authorities on timely and effective implementation of forest fire prevention and control plans; organize training sessions on forest fire prevention and control skills for firefighting forces, forest management units, and mass forest protection teams.

Direct Forest Ranger Stations and Mobile Forest Ranger Teams to strengthen inspections of forest owners during the dry season; supervise and inspect the performance of area-responsible Forest Rangers in fulfilling assigned tasks.

3. Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development shall advise provincial People's Committees to urgently complete the restructuring of state-owned farms and forestry enterprises, and immediately implement plans to protect forests and forest land recovered from state-owned farms, preventing unclaimed forests.

Direct forest management units to be responsible for protecting allocated and leased forests, strictly implementing responsibilities for forest fire prevention and control within their assigned areas. Forest owners managing over 500 hectares must organize dedicated forest protection forces.

4. The Forest Protection Department shall lead and assist the Central Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention and Control in forming inter-sectoral inspection teams to guide forest fire prevention and control work in localities, especially national forest fire hotspots. Advise the Central Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention and Control on coordinating preventive and response measures in harsh weather conditions that could cause large-scale forest fires, ensuring timely and effective handling without widespread fires; Based on inspections, compile a list of localities and units that have not strictly implemented Directive No. 21/2002/CT-TTg, report to the Minister - Head of the Central Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention and Control to propose strict handling by the Prime Minister.

Coordinate with Vietnam Television and Voice of Vietnam to improve the quality and duration of forest fire risk forecasts and warnings during the dry season.

Develop and implement a project to enhance the capacity of forest fire prevention and control for Forest Ranger forces under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development based on the guidance of Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in Document No. 1213/TTg-NN dated August 24, 2005.

Direct Technical Forest Protection Centers to prepare forces and equipment ready to support localities when mobilized, arranging standby support for firefighting in some key areas; coordinate with localities to organize training sessions on forest fire prevention and control skills for firefighting forces.

Organize 24-hour-a-day fire monitoring, regularly monitor and summarize the situation of forest fire prevention and control nationwide, report promptly and propose solutions to the Head of the Central Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention and Control for reporting to the Prime Minister.

5. The Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of National Defense are requested to coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to direct the units assigned to implement and carry out Plan No. 596/BNN-KL dated March 23, 2005, of the Central Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention and Control regarding mobilizing forces to support firefighting when large-scale forest fires occur.

6. The Ministry of Industry is requested to direct Vietnam Paper Joint Stock Corporation to immediately implement fire prevention and firefighting measures for timber plantations, particularly in the raw material forests in Kon Tum Province, to prevent forest fires from occurring as they did during the dry season of 2004-2005.

7. The members of the Central Steering Committee for Forest Fire Prevention and Control are requested to proactively organize the implementation of their assigned responsibilities, report on the results of implementation, and propose fire prevention and firefighting solutions to the Chairman of the Steering Committee./.