  One of the most recent forest fires happened within the Guanacaste National Park. - SINAC photo - Forest fire campaign launches in Guanacaste |
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Tuesday, March 9, 2021
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff Taking as a reference statistics of the most recurring forest fires, the campaign for the prevention of fires begins in Guanacaste Province. The campaign is led by the Arenal Tempisque Conservation Areas, the Community Forestry Brigades among other public institutions to inform the public of the ways to avoid forest fires. The first activities will take place on Saturday, March 20, in the communities of Tilarán, Bagaces, Cruce de April 27, Huacas, Liberia and La Cruz. During the day, the volunteers will be on the roads giving away stickers and explaining to people actions to prevent forest fires.  The campaign mascot is the coati Toño. Expect for the mascot to show at all activities taking place during the campaign to teach children the importance of forest protection. One of the most recent forest fires happened within the Guanacaste National Park. According to the park rangers' report, the firefighters struggled for a continuous 72 hours to put out the fire that spread in the higher areas of the park. The fire started on Thursday and was finally under control on Saturday of last week. The flames started at five different points, but due to the strong wind and dry grass, the fire spread quickly across 600 hectares of land. Fire trucks and small planes were used for spraying water in specific areas to prevent the fire from spreading even more. "We have worked with the collaboration of more than 70 people, including volunteer forest firefighters, park rangers among others. We remain alert to prevent these disasters from continuing to affect our forests and rivers," the park rangers said in their statement. According to representatives of the National System of Conservation Areas, SINAC, in January the forest fire season usually begins. Gusts from 50 km/h to 100 km/h have been recorded in some regions of the country during the dry season. Experts have a fire prevention plan that includes increasing operational actions of fire detection through the use of satellite images, activation of permanent watchtowers on land and aerial patrols, among other strategies. Authorities trained more than 950 people, including forest firefighters, park rangers and volunteers, to carry out prevention work along with the country for the extinction of forest fires within the national parks. Every year volunteers visit high-risk communities to inform them about precautionary measures to avoid fires, as well as a prevention campaign developed in the media. Usually in December farmers begin cleaning vegetation land using controlled fires. Also, sugar cane growers routinely burn off the vegetation in their fields to make cutting the cane easier and to eliminate dangerous pests. Those activities may cause forest fires. The months of March and April are the most critical for forest fires to occur due to the increase in dryness, the practices of cleaning land with controlled fires, high winds, high temperature and low humidity, the specialists said. From a technical point of view, the country will have more severe seasons each year due to the effects of climate change, which is modifying the structure and conditions of the plants making it easier to burn, and also, there is a large accumulation of biomass, SINAC said in its statement. Officials remind the population that only with the authorization of the Ministry of Agriculture, controlled fires can be made for cleaning properties of unwanted vegetation. "It is forbidden to burn in empty lots, or make fires in protected wild areas," SINAC said in its statement. Avoid fires, do not make bonfires, or burn garbage, report to 911 any suspicion of fires, including bonfires on private properties, recommends local park rangers. ----------------------------- What have you heard of fires caused due to bonfires in private properties in your community? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com         
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