Increase incidence of forest fires; More than 308 hectares are reported burned
15 February 2021
Published by https://www.explica.co/
GUATEMALA – During February the number of forest fires increased. (Photo, Free Press: Conred).
A forest fire was registered in Colonia Santa Elena 3, in the capital’s zone 18 this Sunday, and others in different departments.
Only this weekend, 7 accidents have been reported, the aid agencies indicated. So far this dry season, more than 300 have been reported.
Víctor Gómez, spokesman for the Volunteer Firefighters said that the fire started around noon and was at risk of spreading to nearby houses and vegetation.
To put out the fire, 5,300 gallons of water were used, apart from the motor pumps they also used a pickup to enter narrow areas. Lifeguards from the 50 company, which is located in zone 18, and the 85 company from Palencia participated.
The specific reasons that led to the fire are unknown, but during the dry season of the year they are constant, he added.
This relief body also put out another fire at kilometer 18.5 of the highway to El Salvador.
Forest fire in col. Santa Elena 3, zone 18; which threatened nearby houses and spread in vegetation. 50 and 85 Cía. they used 5,300 gallons of water to put out the fire. pic.twitter.com/rvnq6zob90
– Volunteer Firefighters (@BVoluntariosGT) February 14, 2021
In addition, the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred) reported that a forest fire is registered in the El Capulín village, El Jícaro village located in Concepción Las Minas, Chiquimula. Community members and technicians from the Municipal Environmental Management Unit (Ugam) make breaches in the land to control the fire.
In Monjón de Chajabal, on the border between the municipalities of Olintepeque (Quetzaltenango) and San Andrés Xecul (Totonicapán), another forest fire was registered, the combat actions are in charge of saving resources.
It was also reported at noon that the Huehuetenango Forest Fire Response Brigade was mobilized to the municipality of San Sebastián to fight a forest fire that is registered in said municipality.
Hectares consumed
Conred reports refer that in the 2020-2021 forest fire season 308.8 hectares have been consumed according to data updated as of February 14, 2021.
Fire report updated to February 14, 2021. (Photo, Prensa Libre: Conred).
The season for these claims begins in November and runs through June.
The 308.8 hectares have been consumed by 87 fires of which 50 are forest and 37 non-forest that have occurred in open areas such as grasslands, ravines. The landfill at kilometer 22.5 of the route to the Pacific is also counted.
David de León, spokesman for Conred, indicated that the number of fires doubled during the first two weeks of February compared to what was reported between November 2020 to January 2021, and the trend is that they continue to increase due to the dry season.
« The cold that has still been registered in some areas of the country is about to end and that also influences, » he added.
Other reports
Meanwhile, on February 13 in the morning, forest guards and members of the Local Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred) put out a forest fire in Montaña del Gigante, San Miguel village, Huité, Zacapa.
And, another in Cerro de Cal, Quezaltepeque, Chiquimula.
On February 8, others were reported on María Tecún Hill, Sololá; in the Los Cerritos Municipal Park Ecological Reserve, Salamá, Baja Verapaz.
While on the 7th of this month there was another in Oreganal, Teculután, Zacapa and in Patio de Bolas village, Chiantla, Huehuetenango.
