More Than 250 Firefighters Line The Chirripó Forest Fire To Prevent Its Spread
More Than 250 Firefighters Line The Chirripó Forest Fire To Prevent Its Spread
03 March 2012
published by www.insidecostarica.com
Costa Rica — The decrease in high winds, allowed a helicopter to the most critical areas of the fire that consumed more than 120 hectares of Chirripó National Park.
The helicopter was able to unload three times its 400 gallons of water load in four of the most intense areas of the fire that has been consuming the park for days.
Over 250 firefighers of the Cuerpo de Bomberos and trained volunteer firefighters are battling the blaze that is believed to have started by negligence of of campers in the park. Bomberos are also looking into the possibility that the fire was set intentionally.
The firefighters have created a defense line about eight kilometres (five miles) along the fire to prevent the spread.
The Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias (CNE) has issued a “yellow” alert for the area and are calling for prevention in other parts of the country as result of the very dry period.
The CNE and Bomberos also report forest fires in Puriscal, Ujarrás de Buenos Aires de Puntarenas, Cañas and Santa Cruz in Guanacaste, and in San Miguel de Turrúcares, the majority of which are under control.
The strong winds of the last couple of days were also making firefighting efforts more complicated.
Authorities say the national part is open to visitors as the fire zone is far away and will not affect visitors.
