Around 1,000 people were mobilized to combat fires in Hai Van pine forest in the central city of Danang on the afternoon of May 2. The fire was controlled after ten hours but nearly 100 hectares were burnt down.

Mr. Phan The Dung, chief of Lien Chieu Forest Protection Division, said that the fire was extinguished at 2am of May 3.

According to Dung, this was not the first time this forest was in fire. As the terrain is full of obstacles, it took forest rangers more than one hour to approach the site. As the fire was too strong, local forest rangers asked for assistance from the municipal government.

Nearly 1,000 fire-fighters, police officers, soldiers and militias participated in combating the fire. During the ten-hour process, nearly ten phosphorous and bullets exploded.

“Because of hot weather, phosphorous bombs left since the war exploded, causing the fire. This forest used to be an airport of the US during the Vietnam War so many bombs and bullets are left,” says Ms. Dung.

Nearly 200 forest rangers and soldiers are keeping watch the forest.

The pine forest after the fire.

Source: VNN