The U Minh Ha Melaleuca forest protection squad in Ca Mau no longer needs to arrange extensive patrols at key spots in the forest and can identify fires promptly thanks to the installation of a CCTV system.
The whole forest stand of U Minh Ha Melaleuca forest in Ca Mau province is quickly drying as Vietnam approaches the height of the drought and extended heat. Thousands of hectares of Melaleuca woodland are currently under a high and severe fire alert.
This year, Mr. Nguyen Hoanh Huynh and his employees in U Minh Ha National Park found it easier to maintain woods throughout the dry season than in prior years. The forest protection team no longer has to plan extensive patrols at key spots in the forest thanks to the installation of CCTV equipment. The camera system will identify smoke signals, monitor heat, and report to the center, according to Mr. Nguyen Hoanh Huynh. The data is kept and alerted automatically through the transmission system as well as via the phones of the linked users, allowing for early detection of a fire.
Mr. Quach Van Tuong, a forest fire prevention and suppression officer, estimated that if the camera was not placed, the staff would take turns on duty for two hours each. Not only may the effort be decreased when a camera is there, but the forest protection force can also observe more thoroughly and notice the fire more immediately.
U Minh Ha forest covers an area of about 35,000 ha, of which 8,256 ha belongs to U Minh Ha National Park and 23,965 ha is managed by U Minh Ha Forestry One Member Limited Liability Company.
Source: vietnamplus