| Protection of
Forests against Fire, Insects and Diseases
|
Forest Law, 1992 has provisions for fire protection, prevention and suppression measures in natural forests.
Departmental instructions relating to protection of plantations against fires have
been issued and implemented. External and internal fire lines, fire watchers, early
burning practices and awareness raising of local communities are the major measures to protect
plantations against fire up to the age of five years.
While incidence and effects of forest fire on the vegetation vary with forest
types and climatic conditions, it is widely held that surface fire of moderate intensity
does not kill teak seedlings at their development stage, and also that annual
occurrence of surface fires acts as control burning, preventing the accumulation of surface litter, reducing the likely outbreak of
intense fires. But dry forests need effective fire protection.
With regard to the outbreak of insect attacks and diseases, Myanmar has never
experienced serious damages. Although teak has occasionally suffered some attacks
by bee-hole borers and leaf defoliators, they are usually localized in nature.