Although some sources are telling El Caribe that the fires in the Central Mountain Range are 70% under control, new outbreaks in Los Haitises and Villa Altagracia threaten to further destroy the little forest that is still standing. The Ministry of the Environment is trying to obtain international assistance in order to more effectively fight the 13-day old blaze. Currently, there are 16 different fires in the Manabao and Los Haitises areas, as well as in the Jose del Carmen Ramirez National Forest. Near Nagua, a 30-acre fire threatened the Quita Espuela Scientific Reserve and the Loma Los Morones. According to sources that talked to El Caribe reporters, the Ministry of the Environment is speculating that “built up energy”, in the form of underbrush and dead leaves, as well as small farmers doing “slash and burn” agriculture, are the principle suspects for the fires. Tinder dry weather for several weeks has increased the risk of fires.
The ecology commission of the Episcopate issued a document signed by Bishop Fabio Mamerto Rivas calling criminal and without pardon the tragedy of the forest fires.
Miguel Abreu, of the Ministry of Environment, does not discard that delinquents are behind the fires that have left major damages in forests nationwide, as reported in the Listin Diario.
See http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/…