U.S. blockade also affects fire management

 HAVANA, Cuba, Jul 14 (ACN) The Cuban Forest Ranger Corps (CGC) reiterated its denunciation on the negative effects of the ever stronger U.S. blockade on the country’s efforts to cope with wildfires.

Launched from January to May, Cuba’s yearly anti-fire campaign was once again hampered by the said U.S. policy, which prevented the country from purchasing the resources and equipment required to fight fires in rural areas and forced the postponement of related plans.

Thousands of hectares of forests and swamp grass were damaged during the first five months of the year alone as a result of fires caused by negligence (95% of the cases), vehicles with faulty or no spark arrestors (17%), poachers (15%) and bee honey theft (6%).