Vietnam reported 176 forest fires at 1 pm yesterday [March 4], the Quan doi nhan dan newspaper reported Thursday, citing the Forest Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). The department said that forests in 42 provinces across Vietnam are at red alert when the dry weather continues occurring and water level of rivers is at lowest level for many years. Forty five forest fires are detected in northern mountainous province of Son La; 48 fires in central highland provinces of Kon Tum, Dak Nong and Gia Lai; 16 in northern provinces Dien Bien and 14 in Lai Chau. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat requested provincial authorities to take proper measures to prevent the fires. Last month, the fire burned 2,000 hectares of forest in Hoang Lien National Garden, a home of many valuable animals and trees in northern province of Lao Cai. In early March, fires also destroyed hundreds hectares of forests in northern provinces of Lai Chau, Bac Can, Cao Bang and others.
