The Ministry of the Environment announced yesterday, Thursday 31 July 2014 that they had achieved complete control of the fire that had consumed part of the Juan Bautista Perez Rancier National Park in Valle Nuevo, Constanza for the past two weeks. As of yesterday all of the flames were out, thanks in part to the rain that fell in the area on Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30 July, and the work by the forest fire fighters and the volunteers from Constanza. Starting now, according to Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez, a commission of environmental specialist will be evaluating the damage caused by the fire that covered thousands of tareas of forest, mostly pine forest in the park. “Tomorrow (today, Friday 1 August) a satellite contract will provide an exact measurement and take two or three days to make the damage assessment,” he said.
Rojas Gomez stated that despite the fact that they have the fire under control, the brigades are still in place because some trunks and stumps are still burning and could reignite the blaze. The Minister of the Environment was speaking at a press conference which was also attended by the Minister of Public Works, Gonzalo Castillo and the chiefs of staff of the Army and Air Force, Ruben Paulino Sem and Ramon Hernandez. Gonzalo Castillo told reporters how since Sunday, the Ministry of Public Works had provided 50 pieces of heavy and light equipment in order to open 28 kilometers of trails. Part of this equipment and personnel, which began to leave yesterday, will stay in place to continue improving the access roads in case of a future emergency.