EU Provides Aid to Wildfire Victims in Belize

In response to the current wildfires affecting Belize since May, the EU is providing one hundred and seventy thousand Belize dollars in humanitarian assistance to families most affected by the disaster.

By supporting the Belize Red Cross Society, the EU aims to support two families or about eight hundred individuals, primarily farmers, who have lost their crops due to the fires.

As a result of the wildfires, more than thirteen thousand hectares of agricultural land have been destroyed. This has damaged approximately two hundred homes and caused over eight million US dollars in damages. Twenty-four villages and communities, primarily in the western portion of the Toledo district, were affected. These numbers might increase as the fires and further assessments are still ongoing.

The effects of climate change, a prolonged excessive heat wave, and prevailing dry weather conditions helped spread the fires in the Toledo District and Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve in the Cayo District.

The assistance will support the provision of health, water, and sanitation services, as well as cash assistance by the Belize Red Cross Society.

As of June 13th, fires in the Toledo District continued to flare up and progress due to strong winds within the area.