Another forest fire broke out in Hoang Lien National Park in Sa Pa Town, northern Vietnam’s Lao Cai Province on Wednesday afternoon, two days after the first that burned about 30 hectares of forests, the town’s administration reported on Thursday morning.

Local government mobilized about 600 people to join the extinguishing of the fire that occurred at 3:30 pm on Wednesday in the town’s Ta Van Commune, near the area of the previous blaze, To Ngoc Lien, chairman of the Sa Pa Town People’s Committee, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

Due to the complex terrain, with many steep slopes, firefighters took nearly an hour to access the flames, which, like in the first fire, spread rapidly under the dry weather and strong winds, local rangers said.

By late evening of the same day, the fire was still not under control and was spreading to the west, prompting the standing deputy chairman of the Lao Cai administration to hold an emergency meeting with Sa Pa authorities to direct the efforts to curb the spread of the fire and stamp it out.

“We have mobilized more than 600 people, including firemen, soldiers and militias, divided into four teams to access and put out the flames,” Lien said.

It was not until 8:30 am on Thursday that the blaze was put under control. An hour later, it was blown out completely, he stated.

There has yet to be a report about the forest damage caused by the fire.

During the previous fire two days ago, the blaze burnt down some 30 hectares of forests in the park, including 26 hectares of poor forests and four hectares of planted forests, according to initial reports.  

Earlier on February 6, four days ahead of the Tet (Lunar New Year) festival, Lao Cai authorities sent an urgent dispatch requesting localities to take measures for fire prevention and control across the province amid the dry season.

The local government requested special attention to be paid for high mountainous areas in Sa Pa Town and the districts of Bat Xat, Bac Ha, Si Ma Cai and Muong Khuong, where have been warned against a forest fire risk at level IV (dangerous level) that could move to level V (extremely dangerous level) in the days after Tet.

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