Prek Toal villagers faced the dangers of the 2016 forest fire alone, with very little support.

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Prek Toal villagers faced the dangers of the 2016 forest fire alone, with very little support.

“Rangers and villagers faced the fire alone. Calls for aid and additional resources … to the Environment Ministry in Phnom Penh went unheeded.  With no professional firefighting training and equipment, the danger to the rangers and those who volunteered was palpable. Four rangers fell unconscious in the field when a wind shift left them momentarily surrounded by the blaze.”  (Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon and Kong Meta, Phnom Penh Post, Friday 23 June 2017)

For many years Cambodians have shown our ability to face danger and challenges.  My Prek Toal villagers are just the same.  But the danger and difficulty of recovering from this fire are almost too much. 

For more detail about the fire and how Prek Toal village is working go to:




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