Minister of Environment Bautista Rojas Gomez says that most of the fire affecting mountain forest areas near Constanza has now been extinguished. The Minister visited the area on Wednesday, 30 July 2014 and was satisfied to report the fire team work had extinguished the blaze earlier than expected. “The situation is very favorable and we will soon be able to announce that the fire has been completely put out,” he said, as reported in El Nacional.
The best help came from recent rains and a drop in temperatures, in addition to institutional and community efforts. He said that around 700 men continue intense fire-fighting work in the area. The joint effort is being carried out by the ministries of Environment, Armed Forces, Public Health, Public Works, Comedores Economicos, Civil Defense, foundations and hundreds of volunteers.
Among the foundations, The Ornithology Society has secured funds from private companies, such as Tropigas, for fuel and water supplies to hundreds of volunteer firefighters. Constanza is an important birding habitat.