SantoDomingo.- The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources,Bautista Rojas Gómez, says that in cooperation with the Armed Forces Ministry,volunteers and other institutions, firefighters are making significant progress inbringing the forest fire fire raging in the Hoyo de Pelempito area under control.
He saidthat it was not yet completely extinguished due to weather conditions and windin the Sierra de Bahoruco, in Pedernales province in the south west of thecountry.
“Morethan 400 men are working hard here to put out the fire, air units and the NationalArmy are providing good support to the Ministry of Environment staff”, said theminister. He said that once the situation returns to normal they willinvestigate the causes, adding that they suspect it was intentional.
He saidthat wild boar hunters and small-scale farmers are often responsible forstarting forest fires, thus contributing to deforestation. Rojas Gómez urgedcitizens to refrain from farming and any activity involving fire, the causes of theregrettable forest fires that destroy large areas of forest every year,affecting biodiversity, especially in the country’s mountainous areas.
He saidthat the ministry had a forest fire monitoring center at the NationalEnvironmental School in Jarabacoa where they can detect temperature rises in thecountry’s main forest areas.