Forest Fires in Guatemala

By zone_admin | 23 de May de 2022 | Blog

By Elizabeth Cardona : Lawyer and Environmental Consultant for Zone in Guatemala. Forest fires involve large, unforeseen fires that burn in natural areas; that is, in forests, grasslands or prairies. Wildfires can:
  • Be caused by humans or lightning.
  • Happen anytime, anywhere. The risk increases in periods of little rain and strong winds.
  • Cause flooding or interruptions in transportation, gasoline, electricity and communication services.
In Guatemala, the causes of forest fires are generally negligence and slashing with few controls, that is, when a producer burns his harvest to plant again. According to the Coordinator for the Reduction of Disasters -CONRED-, (entity in charge of preventing, mitigating, attending and participating in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the damages derived from the presence of disasters), so far in 2019, the fire It has consumed a total of 498.62 hectares, the equivalent of 697 soccer fields, in places outside protected areas. However, the area of ​​Petén (north of the country), where most of the protected areas are located, especially the Laguna del Tigre National Park, has been the victim of large-scale forest fires, consuming approximately 1,490 hectares, the equivalent of 2,086 soccer fields, according to the National Council of Protected Areas. Forest fires cause damage to the forests, flora and fauna of the place, especially seriously affecting when they are species that are in danger of extinction such as the red macaw in Petén. Among the recommendations that CONRED has established to prevent forest fires, are:
  • Monitor weather conditions (increase or decrease in wind speed).
  • When making bonfires, take the necessary precautions in the place where it will be made and put them out before leaving the site.
  • Make a barrier with stones to prevent a fathom from rolling or a spark from flying due to the effects of the wind.
Finally, it should be taken into account that during the first months of the year, due to the dry season, the risk of forest fires increases, so in this period one must be especially careful and act actively in the prevention of this type of emergency.