Environment Minister Max Puig estimates that 100,000 tareas (62.8 miillion square meters) of forest have been affected by the spring forest fires, as reported in Hoy newspaper. Puig said that until the fires are extinguished an evaluation of damages would not be possible, nevertheless.
Puig said that the drought period worsens the likelihood of new fires. There have been reports of fires in Los Haitises and Bahoruco mountains. Coffee producers in Polo, Barahona say they have lost 7,000 tareas planted with coffee.
Puig spoke yesterday at a press conference with Armed Forces Minister Sigfrido Pared Perez. The military have been assisting in the fighting of the fires. Pared Perez in turn said that there are over 700 persons, among military and volunteers, helping to put out the fires in the Cordillera Central, where the most intense fires have occurred near Macutico and Manabao, La Pelona and Pico Duarte, the highest point in the West Indies and where many important rivers are born. Pared Perez said that they have reached an agreement with the Aeroclub Dominicano, that groups private plane pilots, to monitor fires in the rest of the country.
Puig says that most of the fires have spread after being set by small farmers to prepare land for planting. Conditions of an exceptionally dry winter are believed to have increased the fire hazard. The first three months of 2005 have been drier than usual, and the long-term drought has left trees more prone to large smoky fires such as those that have occurred. Nevertheless, Puig did not discard that some fires were intentionally caused.
Puig has complained that he does not have the adequate staff to combat the fires that have spread nationwide. The two fire-fighting helicopters lent by Venezuela have been used exclusively to combat fires in the central mountain range. He expressed his appreciation to the government of Venezuela, for sending the two Cougar firefighting helicopters.
News reports indicate that the fires caught the authorities off guard, not prepared to fight the disaster, despite the drought conditions should have alerted the authorities to take preventive measures.
El Caribe newspaper says that in 1990 there were 74 fires that affected 242,776 tareas, in 1997 fires affected 207,885 tareas, according to government statistics. Historically, the worse fires occurred in 1962 with fires affecting 894,000 tareas.