Provinces to stop unauthorised activities in protected forest areas to avert fire outbreaks

All relevant authorities in the provinces including sub-national administrations, provincial administrations, the Department of Environment, relevant authorities and stakeholders have been told to take all proactive measures to avert land encroachment activities on state lands and forests.

They have also been told to be on high alert and stop all unauthorised land clearing and burning activities in the flooded forests, especially in the protected areas and biodiversity conservation sites to prevent forest fires due to the onset of the hot season until May.

Environment Ministry spokesman Neth Pheaktra said yesterday that they are very concerned over the outbreak of forest fires in the Kingdom, especially from now until May, with high incidences of hot spots and fire outbreaks reported, sometimes between 4,000 to 5,000 nationwide a day.