Goal: to increase the perception of risk regarding forest fires

HAVANA, Cuba, Jun 21 (ACN) Nearly 4,000 wildfires occurred in Cuba in the period 2008-2017 that affected 69,305 hectares of forests and evidenced the need to increase the perception of the risk they represent to our economy and environment.

However, 2011 saw a new record in the last three decades in terms of fires per year (723) and surface damaged (20,495 ha), according to specialists from the Ministry of the Interior.

The main causes in the last 10 years are negligence (84%), whereas a mere 8% of the wildfires were natural occurrences. The former refers to the use of fire in agriculture for different purposes, including burning crop residues and pastureland, preparing land for planting, charcoal production, cleaning roads and ditches, beehive castration, and pest control.

There were also irresponsible actions by smokers, passers-by, poachers and fishermen, as well as those linked to the use of motor vehicles without spark arresters.

Cuba’s forest patrimony, in excess of 4 million hectares of forests, includes over 200 timber species, of which 30 are of significant economic importance. There are 16 forest formations ranging from sea level (mangrove) to more than 1,700 meters above sea level (monte fresco), comprising a total of some 600 timber species.

More than 92% of wildfires break out in the January-May period and are mostly caused by human carelessness, and their spread is favored by prevailing climatic and meteorological conditions, such as drought, high temperatures, low relative humidity and strong winds.

The Cuban Forest Ranger Corps insisted on the need to increase the perception of this risk in the country in its 25th national campaign for protection against forest fires. However, the deflagrations continued between January and May due to the rainfall deficit.

Until very recently, there were 362 wildfires across the nation to the detriment of more than 3,795 hectares, according to preliminary statistics.