Fire destroys forest in Gia Lai Fire is devastating the Bac Bien Ho protective pine forest in Phu Hoa Town, Chu Pah District in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai.—Photo:baogialai.com.vn GIA LAI (VNS)-- Fire has devastated more than 250ha of the protected Bac Bien Ho pine forest in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai. The flames are still on-going despite extensive local efforts to extinguish the blaze, which first broke out early yesterday afternoon, according to the District People's Committee. More than 550 people including police, forest managers and local volunteers have been assigned to fight the fire. However, the task is tough burning forests is located on a high hill that is difficult to access. The hot and dry weather and strong winds are also providing obstacles. Nguyen Ngoc Quang, deputy chairman of the committee, said that the only work that firefighters could do at this stage was set up a boundary to prevent the fire from spreading further. - Fire has devastated more than 250ha of the protected Bac Bien Ho pine forest in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai.—Photo baogialai.conm.vn Director of the provincial forest management department Nguyen Nhi said that the fire may have been started by some local residents who came to the forest to cut down dot trees - the main forested product in the province which are widely used to make brooms - and then burnt the forest in the hope that the subsequent nutrients in the soil would cause more dot tree to grow strongly next season. Nhi added that in future the department will work with district authorities to create good conditions for local residents to harvest trees and plants without bringing fire to the forest. The forest was severely damaged by fire in 2010 but had since been re-planted and recovered. More than 550 people including police, forest managers and local volunteers have been assigned to fight the fire.—Photo baogialai.com.vn Meanwhile, on Tuesday the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's Department of Forest Management warned that many districts in 20 cities across the country faced a high risk of forest fires due to a recent lack of rainfall. The localities at risk include Tri Ton and Tinh Bien districts in the southern province of An Giang, the Buon Don, Ea H'leo and Ea Sup districts in the Central Highlands of Dak Lak and the Long Thanh and Nhon Trach districts in the southern province of Dong Nai. The national steering committee of forest fire fighting and prevention has asked local authorities and forest management boards in these districts to carry out preventative measures. -- VNS