Havana/Combined and volunteer forces of several institutions have been working to control a fire of great magnitude in the mountains of Ojo de Agua, in the municipality of Niceto Pérez, Guantanamo. The incident, which has affected more than 80 hectares of forests, originated several days ago in the area known as La Culebra, a woody area of difficult access.
This type of event was not reported in the region for more than 35 years. Persistent drought and high temperatures have accelerated the propagation of fire, classifying it as a high proportions fire.
Rafael Wilson Castellanos, head of the Guantanamo Gauge Body Protection Group, said the weather and topographic conditions of the land, with high temperatures and low humidity, have hindered work to create firewalls and control the situation. Despite the complexity, more than 100 troops and various means work in the containment of the fire.
This type of event was not reported in the region for more than 35 years. Persistent drought and high temperatures have accelerated the spread of fire, classifying it as a high proportions fire
On Wednesday afternoon, the rains contributed significantly to extinguish a part of the flame area, facilitating containment work, which continue in the area.
The authorities, including the first secretary of the party in the province, Yoel Pérez García, have visited the area to supervise the work and have assured that the fire does not represent any danger to the population.
According to a recent report of the body of rangers, from the beginning of January to March 3, 2025, 136 forest fires that damaged 813.14 hectares throughout the country had been recorded. The most affected areas in that period were Pinar del Río and the special municipality Island of Youth, as well as Cienfuegos, which added 72 claims in an extension of 581.70 hectares.
The time from January to May is the most critical for forest fires on the island, coinciding with the dry season. The main causes are usually drought, climate change and, often, human negligence such as burning, irresponsible smokers and the poor state of vehicles.
In 2024, at the end of the Forest Fire Protection Campaign, which takes place in the first five months of the year, 326 conflagrations were counted that affected almost 3,000 hectares of forests.
