In the south, wildfires have also devastated huge tracts of land in a protected area managed by the Ya’axche Conservation Trust. The organization has been busy over the past few weeks fighting these fires that have destroyed crops and displaced wildlife in the Golden Stream Corridor Preserve.
Christina Garcia
Christina Garcia, Exec. Dir., Ya’axche Conservation Trust
“We’ve been battling with fire in the Maya Golden Landscape for the past month. First fire that affected the preserve, the Golden Stream Corridor Preserve, our rangers and fire management crew have been battling fires in the preserve that have destroyed a little over two thousand acres of forest within the Golden Stream Corridor Preserve. So we’ve been battling in terms of controlling that fire so that the fire does not reach the field station, an investment that we have here for over twenty-five years. Apart from the fire in these protected areas, we’ve also been assisting communities in controlling fires within their farming landscape. So a lot of the work that has been carried out over the past weeks is with the beneficiaries that Ya’axche works with, controlling fires and ensuring that those fires do not completely destroy all the farmscapes and the different agro forestry systems that we have created jointly with the farmers over the years, although that has been very difficult because as you can see from images that the news has reported on, there has been a lot of damages in these communities, especially the farms, especially the destruction of cacao and different fruit trees, timber saplings and this is actually food that the farmers depend on.”
According to Estevan Asi, the increased temperatures and changes in climate, are the worst he has ever seen in all his years in agriculture. Asi also works with the Ya’axche Conservation Trust.
Estevan Asi Jr
Estevan Asi Jr., Ya’axche Conservation Trust
“We responded to communities in Trio, San Miguel, Silver Creek, Columbia. We had community leaders approaching us because we do have some capacity in fire management, so we were able to also send out a team out there. We had adequate resources such as the bladder bag, the flappers that helped us in controlling these fires. Of course, everything was togetherness, we worked collectively to ensure that at the end of the day we controlled most of the fires that were spreading. So, for this year, the fire was really devastating. I’ve worked in agriculture for some time but I can say, because of the increased temperatures and changes in climactic conditions, this year was really devastating. We even have a number of farmers within our farmer network that have lost their farms. So we’re talking about cacao, corn, beans and other diversified crops within their farms. Also, you had some farmers that lost their animals, small animals and a few homes were burnt.”
This weekend, Oceana in Belize will commemorate World Oceans Day with various activities in various municipalities across the country. World Oceans Day was originally proposed in 1992 at an Earth Summit and U.N. Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Since then, a number of countries around the world, including Belize, have celebrated June eighth as World Oceans Day.
“World Oceans Day is on Saturday, June eighth and the theme this year is “Awaken new depths.” It’s urging everyone to do their part in caring for the ocean and protecting the oceans. It’s about deepening our passion and tapping into our creativity in how we view ocean conservation. This Saturday, we have a couple events happening that we’re inviting the public to join us on. We have two cleanup campaigns, one here in Belize City. We’re partnering with Sea of Life, Belize Game Fish Association and the Scout Association of Belize and that’s going to start at 7:30 at the scouts headquarters on Regent Street. The other cleanup activity is in San Ignacio near the Macal River. We are teaming up with the Interact Club of San Ignacio and Santa Elena, that cleanup activity starts at 8:30. On Sunday, in Corozal, we are partnering with the town council and House of Culture and we’re doing a sip and paint activity. It’s a family event. We’re going to be painting reusable tote bags, so that’s gonna be a fun and creative way for us to have a conversation and spread awareness on ocean conservation. We are encouraging the public to participate in these activities because it’s a great way of sparking that conversation on why it’s important for us to protect our oceans. Our oceans sustain us and here in Belize we depend greatly on our ocean. Without a healthy ocean, it’s going to impact our livelihoods, our sustenance, our economy.”
Slash-and-burn farming is an age-old practice that has proven to be more environmentally harmful than it has served any real purpose in agriculture. The wildfires that are being experienced in Toledo District are said to be fires that were being used to clear land for farming. Those fires reportedly got away and the devastation left in their wake has been astounding. While the Government of Belize has allotted a million dollars for relief efforts to families and farmers affected by the fires, there has to be a shift away from this destructive means of agriculture. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
As a small farmer, it is important to understand the need to prepare land for cultivation. The slash-and-burn technique, a method of agriculture in which existing vegetation is cut down and burned off before new seeds are sown, has been practiced throughout much of the world. Shifting cultivation, as it is also known, is widely used in southern Belize, particularly in Toledo District. On the downside, it has significant environmental drawbacks.
Augustine Chub
Augustine Chub, Farmer, Indian Creek Village
“Sometimes I sit down in my field and say [to myself], what to do to try and change my way of doing the farming. From there, one day a person dropped in and he told me [that] I should change the way of doing farming, you know, so that I could… Yes, I could clean bush, I could chop bush, but I don’t have to burn the place.”
Augustine Chub is a farmer who has spent all his life planting and cultivating crops in Indian Creek Village. Over the years, he has seen the negative consequences of deforestation that have led to biodiversity loss, habitat destruction and soil erosion.
Augustine Chub
“In the month of May, we used to burn bush like crazy. But dehn time deh we don’t worry much about the area. We seh bush da bush, we could burn down and clear out, you know, even if we chop or we noh chop, but we just let go fire and fire start get away and go miles and miles eena bush.”
Forests are home to diverse plant and animal species. When we clear them, we disrupt ecosystems and reduce biodiversity. Many of these species rely on forests for shelter, food and breeding.
Anthony Mai
Anthony Mai, Chief Environmental Officer
“Some of the wildlife has been distressed because of the heat wave and the fires, etc. And so, biodiversity loss is a concern to us. Water pollution, air quality, poor air quality, et cetera, are also major concerns, and then, to some degree, loss of forest covers.”
Slash-and-burn practices, as well as wildfires, destroy their habitat.
Anselmo Cholom
Anselmo Cholom, Village Councilor, Indian Creek
“When this fire burned down…, I believe it chased away all the animals, the animals that were here and, you know, the plants, it destroys the trees. So we will have to, it will take a few years to get back.”
Initially, the ash from burned vegetation provides some fertilization. However, after several years of cultivation, soil fertility declines and weeds increase. This leads to diminishing crop yields.
Augustine Chub
“I learned to do farming with my dad. We underbrush and fall bush, we underbrush with machete axe. Lone man work. We fall bush acres and acres we cut down and we burn it and we plant it. Well, according to my dad, that is the quickest way to do farming and that is the fastest way that you don’t have the weeds right away because you burn all the seeds of the weeds because ih noh will come right away.”
Slash-and-burn generates smoke and particulate matter, polluting the air. Without tree roots to hold the soil in place, erosion occurs. Rainwater washes away fertile topsoil, affecting crop productivity.
Anthony Mai
“One of the major concerns that we have with regards to the impacts that the fire is having and will have is that of the accumulation of ash on the forest floor. As you know, we are entering into the rainy season and as soon as the rainy season starts, the ash will wash into the drains, the drains to the creeks, creeks to rivers, and eventually to the sea. So that is something critical we are thinking about now, in terms of how to measure the impact that that will cause and so we have identified it as a concern.”
In San Miguel, brushfire has decimated farmlands, including fields of crop belonging to Santiago Cus.
Santiago Cus
Santiago Cus, Farmer, San Miguel Village
“Just recently, Thursday, the fire entered this land, this land here and then burnt up all of the cacao fields, everything it burned up, couldn’t catch the fire. The fire passed and run. I have seven hundred plants of cacao by the boundary line there, all burnt up. I got Inga and then I got my cornfield all burnt up. The Inga was right over there but the help of the people and the helicopter was here on Thursday and that helped a lot. Without the helicopter that piece would have all been finished to ashes. But right now with the help of the helicopter, it saved that piece where I have my pig, I have my bees. I have a lee shed there for my cornfield saved, but all this burn up.”
While traditional slash-and-burn practices allowed areas to recover over time, modern techniques often lead to permanent deforestation. Sustainable alternatives like agro forestry and conservation farming are more environmentally friendly. Sustainable land management practices are crucial for both livelihoods and the health of the planet.
Today is internationally recognized as World Environment Day. A day that encourages awareness and action for the protection of the environment. In alignment with this occasion, the Department of the Environment, the University of Belize, and the United Nations Environment Program have jointly launched the GEO Belize 2024 report which provides a comprehensive diagnosis on the state of Belize’s environment. News Five’s Britney Gordon attended the launch earlier today for a more detailed look at what the report entails. Here’s more on that.
Britney Gordon, reporting
It’s been fourteen years since Belize released the first environment outlook report back in 2010 with the United Nations Environment Program. Now with assistance from the University of Belize, the new state of environment report is here. Doctor Francesco Gaetani, Regional Coordinator of the U.N.E.P. told us that that the report is more than just a book, but an aid to strengthening the science policy interface of a country.
Dr. Francesco Gaetani
Dr. Francesco Gaetani, Regional Coordinator, United Nations Environment Program
“A process meaning creating the conditions where different representatives with different mandates from different ministries and departments of the government, the states, they meet, they work together, they share data and information along with the University of Belize, of course, which is a critical actor for that. And all together, they create the understanding and the knowledge that is the basis to implement any kind of policy response or policy action to reduce environmental degradation, air pollution. We’ve seen in these days, fires and their effects on human health and on ecosystems. But for these to be, something concrete. It’s really important that all this knowledge, all this information, all this data is part of the same process.”
The University of Belize played a key part in the creation of this report. Doctor Vincent Palacio, president of the university, shared his excitement over the opportunity.
Dr. Vincent Palacio
Dr. Vincent Palacio, President, UB
“It is a big day for our science faculty. The University of Belize partnered with the Department of the Environment and U.N.E.P. in preparing this report. It’s fourteen years since we did the first one, so this is the second one. And our faculty from the science and technology unit took on this responsibility and developed this program this actual report. So we’re very proud.”
Palacio explained that because faculty members are required to conduct research to promote it within their tracks, the opportunity for the university to partner on the report was ideal.
Dr. Vincent Palacio
“There are several topic areas in the report that required different authors. So we looked within the university for, at our faculty members with their specialties. And we do have persons in soil biology, persons in all types of areas that is needed for the report. So, we brought them to the table and together they worked to develop the final report.”
The GEO Belize 2024 provides a holistic overview of the environment through five data points: driver, pressure, state, impact, and response, focusing not only on the impacts or the state of the environment, but also the causes. Gaetani explained that analyzing all these factors is necessary to reduce these impacts on ecosystems and human health.
Dr. Francesco Gaetani
“The most important part here, I think, is the analysis on the drivers. The drivers are processes or dynamics that are not controlled. By the governments, by in general, by humans, which are essentially relating to macroeconomics processes and dynamics like markets, but also to demography for instance. So in the case of the Caribbean and also central America being Belize, a bridge between the two regions, a very important driver is the tourist, for instance.”
The report will be used to assist government agencies and other stakeholder organizations in formulating solutions to environmental concerns in the country. Ramon Cervantez, Minister of Sustainable Development and Climate Change revealed what points stood out to the ministry in the report.
Ramon Cervantez
Ramon Cervantez, Minister of Sustainable Development Climate Change
“That we need to do some more work for example in in forest cover, for example, which is being you could say depleted a little, by attrition, really when, by agriculture, which are good things, in a way it’s progress. Things like agriculture, infrastructure. And other projects like that those, many of those projects take the depletion of some forest cover and that is what we have to do. Also the mangroves, which we need to address more so that we are mindful of it and keep protecting it.”
by Javier Villanueva,Senior fishery and aquaculture officer for Latin America and the Caribbean. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
On June 5th, two highly relevant days are commemorated, strongly connected to the sustainability of fishing: World Environment Day and the International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing.
IUU fishing represents a significant threat to the sustainability of the oceans, marine biodiversity, coastal communities, and the livelihoods that depend on fishing. This activity, conducted outside the standards and responsibilities established by international instruments, undermines efforts to conserve and sustainably manage fishery resources. In Latin America and the Caribbean, around 21.6 million people depend on the fishing sector, highlighting the importance of effectively addressing this issue.
The concept of IUU fishing, adopted through international instruments and national legal frameworks, encompasses broad and complex components that often overlap. This multifaceted nature poses significant challenges in its implementation. Understanding and operationally defining each aspect is a crucial first step in adopting effective measures that improve fishery management, considering the particularities of legal, management, institutional, operational, and governance systems.
For some years now, the FAO has developed methods to estimate the scale of IUU fishing, responding to the needs of fishing countries seeking to understand the extent of this activity. There are two main approaches: the first is based on magnitude estimates to mobilize public opinion, political will, technological development, and the financial resources necessary to improve monitoring, control, and surveillance systems; the second approach, focused on indicators, helps fisheries authorities use their data to assess the effectiveness of these systems, identify threats, and ensure that resources are appropriately allocated.
In the region, several countries have taken significant measures to combat IUU fishing. Currently, 15 countries have ratified the Port State Measures Agreement, an initiative promoted by the FAO and unique that establishes a common framework to prevent, deter, and eliminate IUU fishing, facilitating information exchange and international cooperation. Its implementation contributes to more responsible and sustainable fisheries management and currently has more than one hundred countries committed globally.
The fight against IUU fishing reinforces the FAO’s work agenda and is a component of the Blue Transformation program promoted by the Organization. This program highlights the need to sustainably expand aquatic food systems, promote healthy and nutritious diets, foster equitable growth, and protect the environment.
In preparation for the Third United Nations Ocean Conference, to be held in France in 2025, Costa Rica will host the event Submerged in Change on June 7-8 this year. A new edition of the FAO’s State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture report will be launched during this event, emphasizing the strategic importance of measures to advance fishery sustainability.
The future of the planet and future generations depends on the actions and commitments we make today together: governments, the private sector, communities, and international organizations must work in coordination to ensure the sustainability of marine resources.
Only through coordinated and sustainable efforts can we ensure that the oceans remain a vital source of food, employment, well-being, and livelihood for millions of people in Latin America and the Caribbean. Better Production is key to a Better Environment, Better Nutrition, and a Better Life, leaving no one behind.
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
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
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.
For the past few days, Minister Orlando Habet and a Belizean delegation have been participating in the Small Island Developing States Conference in Antigua and Barbuda. This meeting is an opportunity for small island developing states, SIDS, to renew their commitment to sustainable development, focusing on climate change, debt and health crises, underscored by the theme, “charting the course towards resilient prosperity”. A major concern for several of the nations participating in this event is the climate justice funding that is owed to vulnerable nations in exchange for the reduction of carbon emissions. In 2022, the loss and damage funding agreement was established at COP27 which provides funding for vulnerable countries severely affected by climate change. However, several countries have faced difficulty in accessing the funding promised by large carbon emitters.
Orlando Habet
Orlando Habet, Minster of Climate Change
“We have been in several meetings over the years at COPS. And every five years, we are supposed to submit our N.D.C.s, which are basically our mitigation commitments for Belize, we are doing our part in trying to mitigate the little that we already emit, but as SIDS in general produce only about zero point zero one percent of total emissions. The G20 produce over eighty percent of total emissions. So certainly the arena is skewed as to who are the big emitters and so in regards to getting climate justice, that is one area that we want because we are the ones being affected, but also for us to be able to put down certain adaptation measures so that we can build resilience. Then it is imperative that we get the financing that we get the funding to do these adaptation projects that will build resilience for our small states and our communities. It has not been forthcoming. The promises are not being fulfilled and the little monies that are available are difficult to access. And many times, they come hinged with a lot of conditions and many times things that we can’t really afford or really want to do because they really don’t make sense. That is where we’re certainly seeking climate justice in terms of trying to get the funding to be able to do the implementation for N.D.C.s that we commit to. But without the funding, we can’t do it. We have, as our last N.D.C. shows a lot of ambition, but we have a gap of about one point seven billion for us to be able to implement our N.D.C.s from here to 2030.”
As we have been reporting over the past several weeks, the fires observed across the country are raging on. Last week, we took you to the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve where, after days of effort, a team was able to control the flames spreading rapidly across the reserve. Tonight, we take you to the Altun Ha Archaeological Reserve, where a fire that began on Monday has edged dangerously close to the Mayan structures housed there. Today, News Five’s Britney Gordon visited the site to meet the team working furiously to save this beloved Belizean attraction.
Britney Gordon, reporting
I’m here at the Altun Ha Archeological Reserve standing next to the temple of Masonry, one of its most popular attractions, known for where the Jade Head was discovered. And just a few meters behind me, there is a fire burning. Altun Ha is the archeological site that is closest to Belize City. It is also one of the most popular tourist attractions in the district. Renowned for its diverse flora and fauna and imposing Mayan architecture, the site is a valued historical landmark in Belize. On Monday, as park rangers were making the usual rounds on the site grounds, they observed smoke emanating from somewhere within the reserve. This immediately raised an alarm for park manager, Felix Cruz.
Felix Cruz
Felix Cruz, Park Manager, Altun Ha Archaeological Reserve
“Yesterday we observed the smoke coming in the plaza. So one of me and the rangers mister Marvin Jones, around eleven thirty in the morning, we went on site in the underbrush to see where the fire was coming from or the smoke. We didn’t find anything at that time. A little bit later on in the evening, around five thirty, me and the security, mister Belisle we came to do another patrol. That’s when we saw a fire over here behind me.”
After discovering the fire, Cruz notified the Institute of Archaeology, the village chairman, and several tour operators, who responded with equipment, water, and manpower.
Felix Cruz
“We also had a truck, water truck that came in from Medina’s Construction that assisted us. So we managed to maintain the fire last night. At this moment, we’re still making fire paths with the rangers, the maintenance team from the Institute of Archaeology.”
Britney Gordon
“Talk to me about what the action taken to maintain this fire looked like. What was the efforts?”
Felix Cruz
“The action taken, the community came out as a team. Everyone assisted by providing drums, buckets, rakes and machetes. Everyone came in with flashlights and we started to do a fire path and we waited about an hour for the fire truck to come in and not the water truck. And from there we managed to maintain this area here.”
The team sprang into action, dousing the flames with gallons of water and creating fire paths with the use of rakes and machetes. Several lines were cleared by the rangers, an effort, that lasted well into midnight.
Devon Jones
Devon Jones, Park Ranger
“We are continuing to monitor the fire right about now, but last night we have a full experience about a bushfire and the whole community come out and assist.”
Britney Gordon
“What were some of the activities that you and your team were doing in order to maintain the fire?”
Devon Jones
“We get drums and some water, we got machete, rakes we started to make fire paths in the bush, to keep on out it.”
Cruz says that as the fires are very close to the plaza where the structures are, visitors complain about smoke billowing into the area. While the team is doing its best to manage the flames, there is not much that can be done otherwise.
Britney Gordon
“We recently had one at the Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve that was an alarming fire. What about here? Is that a trend that you notice getting more serious?”
Felix Cruz
“The season, we all expect forest fires. So what we try to do is prepare for it. Hence the reason why we try to clean the survey lines, the border lines. There’s nothing much that we can do. It’s a natural event. All we can do is try to manage it the best way we can.”
The task of containing the fire is a new experience for Devon Jones, but as a ranger, he is prepared to manage the park at all costs.
Devon Jones
“It seems like an adventure at the night, but good experience, good to experience something like that. Get your body trained and fit. You never know where that might happen anytime.”
Britney Gordon
“Do you feel like you’re more prepared to handle situations like this moving forward?”
Devon Jones
“I guess I’ll do my best.”
The team managed to contain the flames this morning, but the fires increased late this afternoon, forcing the staff to double their efforts. The situation is still being monitored.
The team is currently seeking assistance from the Ministry of Infrastructure, Development and Housing for the provision of a water truck to the area. Britney Gordon for News Five.
Wildfires continue to burn through parts of Toledo and Cayo districts. Tonight, the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Department of Environment are advising residents living in the affected areas to stay indoors, keep their windows and doors closed and wear masks. A joint press release says that the air quality in Toledo and Cayo districts has significantly decreased. Wildfires have led to substantial air pollution. So, not only are some residents working overtime to safeguard their livelihood, but they must also now contend with the air they breathe to protect their very lives. News Five’s Paul Lopez takes a closer look at the situation. Here is that report.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Wildfires have been burning for the past three weeks in Toledo and Cayo Districts. These fires pose a threat to the livelihood of residents in these areas. And now, another concern has arisen, emanating from the wildfires. That is air pollution. It is a concern raised by Orlando Habet, the Minister of Sustainable Development, during a media tour of Mountain Pine Ridge last week.
Orlando Habet
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development
“You see what happened in San Ignacio and Santa Elena in the past week. The air quality is really bad and you can’t come out on the verandah, jog or exercise, do your bicycling because it is terrible.”
These social media images and videos capture some of what residents in the Cayo District have been experiencing. The blanket of haze in the sky, stretching for miles, is smoke from wildfire. In Toledo District it is no different. Residents are left with no choice but to inhale this contaminated air.
Voice of: Blue Creek Village Resident
Voice of: Blue Creek Village Resident
“I think this is the worst I have seen it and a couple days ago here in the village the smoke was really intense, intense to the point that I was worried about the kids and the elders in our community, because this is not normal.”
Voice of: Santa Cruz Resident
“I believe yes, it is the worst fire I have seen around this time here, because it gets really, really, smokey around here and just recently that side was burning day and night and all the smoke was coming this side. Sometimes I have to move from here and go to my parent’s house to spend the night sometime just so that the kids are safe and off the heavy smoke.”
On Monday, the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Department of Environment warned the public that the substantial increase in air pollution due to smoke can lead to health risks for the vulnerable population. This index describes air quality and its associated health effects. The higher the number, the more air pollution is being inhaled. Anything beyond a numeric value of one hundred is unhealthy, all the way up to three hundred where the air pollution becomes hazardous. On Sunday, for example, the air quality in San Jose Succotz was at one hundred and seventy-five. That is where internist and bioethicist, Doctor Marvin Manzanero resides.
Dr. Marvin Manzanero
Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Internist and Bioethicist
“And when you look at air quality monitors, the particular situation that they look for is P.M., particulate matter. Two point five micrometers is what will get lodged all the way deep into your lungs. Those are particles that we will never see. Who is at risk then? Just like most other deceases, it is the most vulnerable. So, we are going to have the elderly population, young children, people who have underlying conditions, asthmatics, people who have chronic obstructive pulmonary decease, people who have hypertension and diabetes. There has been links to those not doing so well, people who have cancer, people who are on steroids and other types of immunosuppressants. One thing we ought to highlight is that the WHO recently released its global report and air pollutants have been shown to be the trigger of the building up of plaque in your arteries, so microparticles and even nano plastics are being found in those arteries that are building up in your circulatory walls.”
One of the measures recommended by healthcare providers to limit the risks associated with inhaling air pollution is the use of protective respiratory masks. Additionally, individuals living in the affected areas are being advised to limit outdoor exposure. This also includes children attending school.
Dr. Marvin Manzanero
“If you have to be outside, wear protective respiratory mask or you try to limit the amount of time you are going to be outside. Even with exercise, I have mentioned it to some colleagues, you really cant be doing strenuous activities when you have so much air pollutants in the air. Even on a person’s note, two weeks ago I tried running and started wheezing after one point five miles. So, exercise had to be cut short because you are inhaling too many pollutants. For example I have two teens and one of the ones that is a little more active I have to limit his outside exposure. They do go to school. They don’t do physical activity in school these days, but as soon as they come home they are in an indoor environment.”
