As part of the Operational Plan against Forest Fires, the teams made up of Forest Firefighters, personnel from the National Parks Institute (Inparques) and the Civil Guard Corps, carried out maintenance on the existing hydraulic system, in the Estribo Duarte sector of the Waraira Repano National Park.
According to a press release, the first commander of the Forest Firefighters, Brigadier General Germán Gutiérrez, indicated that the days that are carried out in the mountains include the maintenance, or opening, of firebreaks that will serve as a barrier against the spread of the fire, and attention to the hydraulic network.
“Part of the plan contemplates the preventive and corrective maintenance of the hydraulic system against forest fires, which exists in the Waraira Repano National Park, the only one in Venezuela that has this type of system for protection against forest fires,” he said.
Likewise, he pointed out that maintenance is carried out periodically, for which reason the Estribo Duarte area was attended to, to replace a section of pipe that was deteriorated, with the aim of improving the flow of water.
“In addition, the intake dam was maintained and, currently, work is being done on the main tank of the Estribo Duarte sector,” he said.
He stated that the areas of the helipoints are also being cleared, some spaces established within the Waraira Repano, where air operations are carried out, either for the transfer of personnel, water supply for helicopters and support in the extinction of forest fires that could arise. .
Regarding the firewalls, he commented that, in this 2023, “a modality called alternate firewalls has been incorporated, close to the main firewall, which has a strip devoid of vegetation 30 meters wide, and can be seen in the vicinity of the Cota One thousand”.
“We have reinforced the main firebreak with another one at the top, near the transition area to the forest, to give it greater protection. This added firewall will allow that, if a fire occurs at some point, the new firewall will contain it”, stated G/B Germán Gutiérrez.
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