Eight Million Dollars in Losses Due to Wildfires  

And the losses have only increased since our visit to Toledo last week. According to Andre Perez, the minister responsible for the National Emergency Management Organization, an estimated eight million dollars in losses have been recorded due to forest fires.  A total of two hundred and fifty families, or more than one thousand individuals, have been affected. Today, residents in at least three communities in Toledo were out battling fires that posed a threat to their livelihood. Here is more from Minister Perez.

 

Andre Perez, NEMO Minister

“Our initial damage assessment report indicates that two hundred and fifty families have been affected by the raging fires and these numbers continue to rise every day. Several hundred acres of farmlands have been destroyed by raging fires. I was told last night; two homes were lost in the Blue Creek area of the Stann Creek district. Today there are still communities at risk to these fires. Last night San Miguel, Silver Creek and Blue Creek were fighting these flames. We have reports as far north as Altun Ha and as far west in Benque Viejo. In the Mountain Pine Ridge, over ten thousand hectares of forest have been affected by wildfires. This is thirty-four thousand acres of land. The initial DANA is showing up to eight million dollars in damages so far. The full impact on agriculture remains unassessed due to the ongoing threat of wildfires and the unrelenting hot and dry weather condition. The full impact will only be understood when we analyses not only the damages but the loses our people have suffered.”