DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

According to the Ministry of the Environment, there have been about 55 forest fires reported to the authorities this spring. These fires have been dealt with by units from the Ministry’s fire brigades.

According to sources, these fires are the result of small farmers burning off plots for springtime planting of their subsistence crops, generally on government lands in the protected areas of National Parks.

The fires have been reported in Santiago Rodriguez, San Jose de las Matas, Constanza, Tireo, and Villa Altagracia.

The beautiful Sierra de Bahoruco in the Southwest has also been hit by charcoal burners and the rural farmers. Reports from San Juan de la Maguana and the area around Neiba, are of forest fires, some of which have affected newly-replanted reforestation projects.

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