Scrap metal hunters setting bush fires?
Scrap metal hunters setting bush fires?
29 April 2012
published by www.freeport.nassauguardian.net
Bahamas — Persons looking for scrap metal to sell may be responsible for starting the latest bout of bush fires, according to a fire chief yesterday.
There have been a number of bush fires over the last three months, with the latest just yesterday on Grand Bahama Highway, about a mile east of the junction with Coral Road.
It is claimed that a number of homes have been damaged in these fires.
Officials said they were not able to provide The Freeport News with more specific information on the homes. However, they said they did have their suspicions on how the fires are being stared.
In the past, during the summer months, there were bush fires thought to have been caused by glass bottles being thrown into the bushes. The bottles act as a magnifying glass which sets fire to dry tinder and quickly grows into a larger, more dangerous blaze.
However, in spring, experts say the weather has not been hot enough for this.
According to Officer Kardeo Hield, it is possible the fires are being started by scrap metal collectors who are searching for metals in the bushes. It is believed they are deliberately setting the bush alight to expose the metal.
Another possibility is that persons are illegally lighting rubbish fires in their backyard, from which embers could fly off into the dry bushes to cause larger fires.
However he said it is difficult for them to pinpoint the exact causes of the fires.
Observation reveals that almost every week, fires have been seen in many different areas in Freeport.
The fires have also exposed all the other garbage which has been illegally dumped all over the island and brought out some concerned citizens who have been removing the trash along the East Sunrise Highway.
Leader Cathy MacLeary said the bejeweled torched waste was too much and she decided to do something about it and has been gathering many others with her and her family to remove the waste.
Unfortunately the garbage that she and her group moved on Saturday past, seems to have reappeared on the cleaned area by Thursday morning.
A bit discouraged she says she will be continuing again this Saturday as she and others ask residents to stop littering.
