Chalillo Dam Saved from Rampant Wildfires  

The Chalillo Dam, which is situated in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve in Cayo district, was recently at risk of being damaged by a wildfire that broke in the area. Last Wednesday, the team at the Forest Department noticed an uncontained fire rapidly spreading throughout the reserve. The department, alongside several stakeholders sprang into action to contain it. Participating in the mission was a team from Fortis Belize, that felt it was necessary to assist, as the reserve houses the Chalillo Dam. This hydroelectric dam produces seven of the forty-one percent of energy the company provides to Belize. Tedford Pate, Operation Manager at Fortis Belize, told us that due to the fast action of the team, the dam was saved from any potential damage.

 

Tedford Pate, Operation Manager, Fortis Belize

“Up to yesterday, we still had our personnel on the ground extinguishing the little spots that remain heated and still present a threat. to reignite these fires. But fortunately, up to this point, we have the fire under control So as you notice in the background the main reason for us at Fortis Belize in wanting to eliminate this threat is because what we do at this facility is very important when it comes to providing reliable power to the country. As you all know, we’re in a power crisis right now in Belize. And so ensuring that we maintain power to the grid is our primary concern. Had this fire extended into the transmission system, it could have had some very dire effects to the supply of electricity from this location. So we’re happy that with the help of all our stakeholders and our friends, we’re able to control this fire up to this point. We are working on strengthening our protocols. We do have emergency response plans in place.  But right now we’re working closely with the forestry department in strengthening our protocols and in establishing a wildfire safety protocol for Fortis Belize as we speak. This will not only involve our efforts, but it will also mean collaborating with all the stakeholders, especially so the forestry department. FCD that operates in this area, as well as the other stakeholders like Bullridge the contractors that we employ, so that we have a detailed response plan in the event that they should reoccur.”