34,000 Acres of Pine Ridge Lost to Wildfires Out West  

Fire relief missions across the country are ongoing. While the teams at Mountain Pine Ridge have been able to successfully extinguish the flames that spread across the reserve last week, at least thirty-four thousand acres have been severely damaged. And in southern Belize, the fires are raging on throughout Toledo District, contributing to millions of dollars lost in agriculture. Amidst this crisis, the government has assured the public that additional assistance will be provided to the affected farmers and that the relief mission has not yet ended. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with that report.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

Last week, a brushfire wreaked havoc across the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, leading to a multi-agency relief effort. After days of diligent work fighting the flames, the team was able to extinguish and contain the fire, however, nearly forty percent of the forest was affected. Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development, says that majority of the trees in the affected area, will make a recovery.

 

Orlando Habet, Minister of Minister of Sustainable Development

“The trees were already starting to seed. They will fall on ground that has a lot of ash now. And so when the rains come, it is expected that there will be a lot of regeneration. Additionally, the Forest Department is preparing through their restoration program. o put down seeds, to produce seedlings for restoration activities, so as to plant. Pine trees in those areas that do not take naturally from the regeneration. And also the concessionaire for the long term forest concessions also are involved in producing seeds through their nurses, and they will also be assisting in replanting.”

 

While reports are optimistic for Mountain Pine Ridge, down in southern Belize, the number of people and farmland affected by the fires continues to grow. The Minister of Disaster Risk Management spoke on the severity of the matter.

 

Andre Perez, Minister of Disaster Risk Management

“As we speak right now, the jungle continues to burn down south in Toledo last night. There were some threats for Silver Creek. Up in the mountain Pine Ridge, the fire continues to rage. As much as thirty-four thousand acres of Pine Ridge has burnt. Down south in Toledo District hundreds of, millions of dollars in, agriculture products – plantations have been lost. Cacao, beans; we’re talking about corn, even mahogany trees. There’s a farm there with growing mahogany trees, it’s all gone. So this fire is very serious economically. It is affecting us and will affect us. The livelihoods of these people are being affected. Even the village of San Antonio is under threat right now with their water lines, and also the ecological disaster. So all of this has to be quantified looking at – and in terms of funding, It is important.”

 

Relief efforts are ongoing in the area and the government is planning on providing additional assistance to the affected farmers.

 

Andre Perez

“I’ve been in there about two times down south, and in Mountain Pine Ridge as well, I was there this weekend. And everything is moving swiftly in terms of humanitarian needs, also in fighting of the fires. Again, we’ve gotten Astrum [Helicopters]. It’s a cost – comes with a cost, but it was necessary. It has been very effective and that has helped a lot. In terms of relief also with the Department of Agriculture as well to assist the farmers. The Forestry [department] is already involved in here as well, and NEMO in Punta Gorda Town, Machaka area, has of course activated to assist in any way possible -the livelihoods in terms of food, other materials that are needed for homes.”

 

Reporter

“So they’re already getting assistance?”

 

Andre Perez

“Absolutely.”

 

 

Out west in San Antonio, Cayo, Habet explains that the relief efforts have also been extensive in fighting the fires that disrupted the village’s water supply. He says that most of the fires have now been contained.

 

Orlando Habet

“In the San Antonio area. the information is that the fires are contained there was assistance, they had to utilize the helicopters from Astrum to put water a few days ago. The firefighters from the forest department the co manager of the Elijio Panti, and also the villagers from San Antonio and led by the town council, the village council. And also the private sector, the resort Gaia, Blancano and others who are also and have been participating. We are thankful for all those who have participated, who have contributed, and we understand that today the private sector was even lending some assistance in terms of masks and providing other drinks, power aid and stuff like that gatorade for the fighters who get dehydrated. A lot of the fire in that area has now been contained, most of it.”

 

Additionally, on Monday, the team at Altun Ha Archaeological Site discovered a brushfire near the temples. The past two days have been spent containing the flames that increased on Tuesday evening. We asked Habet for an update on the situation.

 

Orlando Habet

“Not this morning, but yesterday we were informed and I had communicated with  The people from B.T.B., we both informed the fire department at Ladyville. They moved in quickly and assisted the community and other people who are assisting to quench the fire. I haven’t had a report this morning as to what happened there, but my information that I received at about two in the morning.  Most of the fire had been out.”

 

 

Perez said that the government is also receiving assistance through the U.S. Embassy and the Belize Red Cross, from abroad to assist the people who have suffered losses because of the wildfires. Britney Gordon for News Five.