Wildfire in Laos, Viet Nam — Green alert

Supply-chain Risk Briefing

1. Summary

Forest fires occurred in Laos and Vietnam for approximately 10 days from April 3rd to 13th. This fire, classified as medium-grade by GDACS, is estimated to have affected border regions in the Mekong River basin.

2. Supply-chain impact

• Agricultural commodities: Potential short-term disruptions to production and export of major agricultural products such as rice, cassava, and rubber in the Laos-Vietnam border region
• Timber supply: Concerns over delays in raw wood and processed material procurement from the region in Southeast Asian timber supply chains
• Overland logistics: Possible inland logistics delays due to traffic restrictions on major overland transport routes between Laos and Vietnam (National Routes 1, 9, etc.)
• Power supply: Risk of regional power supply instability in case of fires around hydroelectric facilities in the Mekong River basin

3. Watch points

• Confirmation of affected area scope and agricultural/forestry infrastructure recovery schedule after fire suppression completion
• Tracking normalization timeline of major trade routes between Laos and Vietnam and whether logistics costs increase
• Monitoring potential for additional forest fires during continued dry season and impact on regional crop conditions