Global Courant 2023-05-07 02:03:58
The National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred) issued a report this Saturday, May 6, in which they released the count of forest fires that have affected the country in the current dry season.
According to the information, from December 1 to the present date, there have been 776 fires throughout the country that have affected 9,938 hectares of land. Of these incidents, 649 are considered “non-forest”, that is, those that occur in grasslands, ravines or clandestine dumps, and 127 “forest”, which affect forested areas and protected areas.
Although Petén is the department where the most fires are reported, with 193, Quiché and Huehuetenango are the ones that have been most affected.
While in the first, 1,056 hectares have burned, in the second, 117 fires have consumed 2,521 hectares and in the third, the burned hectares total 1,227, as a result of 84 accidents.
In these three departments alone, the affected hectare exceeds a thousand. The following show lower numbers. Thus, in the department of Guatemala, 475 hectares have been burned, in Totonicapán, 384; Baja Verapaz, 351; Chimaltenango, 194; Escuintla, 181; and Solola, 180.
Izabal is the only department where there are no fires and therefore not one hectare consumed.
lower incidence
The wildfire season begins on December 1 of each year and ends on June 30, when the rainy season has already established itself throughout the country. Normally, the northern area is where the last precipitation arrives.
So far, the current fire season has been more benevolent than last year. The monthly average of hectares consumed until May 6 is 1,807, while in the 2021-2022 season it was 3,646.
The monthly average of hectares burned this year is higher than that of the 2020-2021 season, which was 1,668, although much lower than that of the 2019-2020 season, which was one of the most sinister in recent years. , when 13 thousand hectares per month were consumed, a total of 78 thousand 127 after seven months.
recommendations
In case of detecting a fire, the Conred recommends reporting it to telephone 119 with the most exact location possible; Furthermore, do not risk trying to put them out if you do not have the necessary knowledge and equipment, and do not enter a place where a fire has occurred, since fragile logs may remain that can fall.
Finally, they also recommend not clearing in places with a steep slope and take precautions when lighting bonfires.
