20160331 Laos Almost 1,000 ha of protected forest in Huaphan damaged by forest fires
Laos Mar 31 2016 “Forest”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 0 or unknown Injured : injured 0 or unknown
Almost 1,000 ha of protected forest in Huaphan damaged by forest fires
Updated: 2016-03-31
About 951 hectares of the Nam Xam and Nam Et-Phou Louey national protection for est in Huaphan Province has been burned by fierce forest fires since mid-February.
“The forest fires were stopped in mid-March but caused damage to areas totalling about 60 per cent of the forest area,” said Director of the Forestry Resources Management Sector of the Huaphan Provincial Natural Resources and Environment Department, Mr Vasanoun Soinxay.
The areas that suffered the worst damage are the districts of Viengxay, Xamtay, Kuan, Hiem and Xamneua.
The forest fires were caused by locals who made fires because of the especially cold weather, locals who made fires in the forest while they were hunting, and others practicing slash and burn cultivation.
Mr Vasanoun has called on local people to stay on the alert for future forest fires and has also called people who take part in slash and burn cultivation, or burn their gardens prior to planting, to use extreme caution and also to notify authorities before burning.
Web Source: KPL News
http://kpl.gov.la/Media/Upload/Newspaper/en/2016/03/3001/