More than 97 percent of forest fires in Taiwan were caused by human activity, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency said yesterday, calling on the public to refrain from starting fires in forests during the high-risk season.
There have been a few days without rain in central and southern Taiwan and the Central Weather Administration has forecast that there would be less spring rain this year, which indicates that the forest fire high-risk season has begun, the agency said.
Citing data from the forest fire risk assessment system, the agency said the risk has significantly risen for lowland hill areas in Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as in Nantou, Chiayi and Pingtung counties.
Photo courtesy of the Chiayi Forest District Office
Some of these regions have already reached “dangerous” or “very dangerous” risk levels, it said.
Forest fuels are dry enough to catch fire even from a spark, the agency said, calling on people traveling to mountainous areas to be aware of fire safety.
Agency Deputy Director-General Liao Yi-kuang (廖一光) said forest fires could damage tree resources and cause more fallen branches.
They could also cause thermal expansion and contraction in the ground surface, leading to more fallen stones, he said.
Although there has been no casualty in past forest fires in Taiwan, such fires could threaten public safety if they spread to surrounding highways, electricity pylons or human communities, Liao said, adding that more than 97 percent of forest fires in Taiwan stemmed from human activities.
Human activities that risk starting forest fires include burning garbage or agricultural waste in the wild, burning joss paper while visiting a grave on Tomb Sweeping Day, improper use of fire or littering of cigarette butts, agency data showed.
Forest fire season usually runs from October through April, the agency said.
There were 220 forest fires from 2021 to last year, of which 100, or about 45 percent, occurred in March and April, the data showed.
People should refrain from unnecessary burning in forests to help prevent forest fires, the agency said.
The public can also use the agency’s forest fire warning index to understand their location’s forest fire risk levels in real-time, it said, adding that the agency would use cell broadcasts to notify people in high-risk regions of the dangers.
Article 34 of the Forestry Act (森林法) states that people cannot set fires in forests without permission and those who contravene would face a fine of up to NT$600,000, the agency said.
Those who start a fire that destroys a forest could be sentenced to jail for three to 10 years and would be held liable for damages, it said.
People who spot a forest fire can call 0800-000-930 or the 119 hotlines to report the incident, the agency said, adding that they could earn a reward of up to NT$100,000 if the report is proven to be true.
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