Diego Suárez Terrazas is 41 years old and He is the father of Valentina and Francisco, his two little treasures. He was born in Yacuiba but has lived in Santa Cruz for a long time. He is an environmental engineer by profession and in 2099 he started as a volunteer forest firefighter before becoming a firefighter instructor and Deputy Manager specialist in fire management in the FAN and commander of the Quebracho Forest Firefighters Association.
He is one of the unsung heroes who, with his courage and determination as armor, has been putting his chest to the flames in Chiquitania and other regions of the department. These days he will participate in his fifth operation in the fire area. The previous four lasted more than 60 days and he describes as “the worst” what he has experienced due to the destruction of the forest and the death by burning of an undetermined number of its inhabitants, including small animals and insects, with a very serious future impact on the balance of the ecosystem.
The disaster could have been avoided to some extent with more timely interventions and greater logistical contribution supporting firefighters and volunteers. Diego also refers to the consequences: Without trees, rain will be scarce, droughts will be longer and will stimulate new fires. Locals will lose livelihoods such as subsistence agriculture and livestock. Migration to the city will increase along with poverty rates. I hope the lesson is learned, Diego emphasizes. We must make vows to make it so. So that the atrocious ecocide is not repeated.
