Santiago. – Three forest fires were recorded in the community of Cejita, municipality of Janico, Santiago Province and in the area of Saladillo, Barahona, Sierra de Bahoruco National Park, the Ministry of Environment reported Tuesday.
The institution said that brigades made up of more than 40 forest firefighters from San José de las Matas, Janico and La Vega managed to completely eliminate one of two forest fires in the community of Cejita, municipality of Janico, and that work continuously to control another sinister in this area.
The liquidated fire originated on Monday night around the Janico-Juncalito road, said Gerónimo Abreu, in charge of the National Fire Management Program of the Ministry of Environment.
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He also added that “the second fire was detected in the early hours of this Tuesday, very close to the area where last Saturday the liquidation work of another accident was completed, caused by an electric shock.”
“Because of the way in which the claims have begun, everything indicates that these fires are being intentionally caused, which makes prevention difficult and generates serious damage to ecosystems,” said Abreu.
According to community testimonies, the area did not have traces of smoke the previous day, however, at dawn indications of a new fire were evidenced. During control work, land personnel identified several active points, while other additional foci arose.
Abreu said that the brigades keep the second fire under control and in some parts liquidation work is carried out to cut the progress of the fire in the direction of the Jagua River. The land in the area has adverse conditions, one of them being its extension with pronounced slopes.
Firefighters identified the presence of heavy fuels that facilitate propagation. Abreu, head of the operation said that, “the visible smoke is within the area delimited by the previously established control line.”
Fire in Barahona
The Ministry of Environment also reported that it mobilized Pedernales, Barahona, Puerto Escondido and the discovered to respond to a fire recorded in the early hours of Tuesday in the Saladillo area, Barahona, Sierra de Bahoruco National Park.
The institution urged citizens to respect current regulations, avoiding practices that endanger people, communities and ecosystems.
He also recalled that the fire management program includes both prevention actions and the accompaniment to the farmers, with trained personnel from the Ministry, in order to guide them on the protocols necessary to prevent the propagation of fire due to burning activities for planting purposes.
It was highlighted that, once the fire has been completely liquidated, an exhaustive research process will begin, with the purpose of determining the causes that caused these claims.
He also highlighted the severity of the environmental impact generated by this type of emergencies, which not only affect biodiversity and natural resources, but also represent a significant risk for nearby communities and local ecosystems
