PHNOM PENH: The Ministries of Agriculture and Environment have issued measures to prevent wildfires during the dry season.

In a joint statement of January 12, the ministries said that while some wildfires are cause by natural phenomena, they are concerned about fires caused by human action. They said that the main causes of wildfires during the dry season are deforestation, indigenous nomadic farming, illegal settlements in protected forests, illegal encroachment on state land, using fire to hunt animals and human negligence involving unattended firewood in the forests.

The statement said that annual forest fires cause a loss of forest resources, flooded forests and natural resources in protected areas, which can cause economic damage to natural resources and the environment.

The ministries called on all relevant authorities, along with fishing and agricultural communities, to implement forest fire prevention and control measures.

They also stated that anyone who intentionally causes a forest fire shall be punished under the first-degree forest law or the first-class fishery law, which calls for three to ten years imprisonment, depending on the fire’s effects.

Separately, Article 62 of the Law on Protected Areas states that intentionally causing a wildfire is a fourth-degree natural resource offense punishable by five to ten years in prison and a fine of 15 million to 150 million Riels.