While the Mejia administration borrowed a US$10 million loan (later expanded to US$76 million) to purchase eight Bell OH-58 helicopters these have been of no use to fight the forest fires in the central mountain range. A simple accessory, known as Bambi Buckets, has been lacking, as Diario Libre reports today. The Bambi buckets are necessary to carry the hundreds of gallons of water needed to put out the flames. In an editorial, Diario Libre says that the carelessness of institutions, lack of supervision, and badly managed handling of public funds has again reverted against the general welfare. He says that for sure the government will appoint a commission to study what happened, but in the meantime thousands of hectares have been burned. He urged Dominican society to pressure for a change.
Only two helicopters leased from the Venezuelan government are being used to fight the fires that are said to have consumed 100,000 tareas (7,000 hectares). A request made to the US was not complied with because the US government required that the country declare a state of emergency. The authorities chose not to on grounds that it would affect the tourism industry that is unaffected by the fires.
Minister of the Armed Forces Sigfrido Pared Perez said that the Bambi Buckets will be here in 20 days. He said once the buckets arrive, four of the Bell UH-1Y and Huey II helicopters would be used to fight the fires.