Raging Bush Fires Threatening Properties along George Price Highway
Every year around this time, the Belize National Fire Service is summoned more often than it can respond to calls of bushfires that rage out of control and threaten homes and sometimes lives. This year is no different. In fact, fire officials believe that this will be the worst yet, simply because bushfires have started well before the summer months and have been spreading faster because of the easterlies. Along the George Price Highway, bushfires have been burning for the past few weeks, and now they have come too close to homes and properties for comfort. The fire department was called out to two locations today where the fire had spread dangerously close to several properties. News Five’s Marion Ali headed west and spoke with the people who are being affected. Here’s that report.
Voice of: Hilberto Rosado
Voice of: Hilberto Rosado, Responder
“For a couple days it’s been burning, I would say for a week. But till this morning we noticed that the direction had changed because it was now on this side of the road than on that side.”
Marion Ali, Reporting
The change in direction of the wind this morning had a direct effect on how the bushfires along the George Price Highway are burning. By mid-morning, the fire had jumped the highway and was quickly heading westward, becoming an immediate threat to buildings that, a week ago, were never in its path. Residents of mile fourteen, like this man who only gave his first name as “Kevin”, were closely monitoring the fire that was burning near their homes.
Voice of: Kevin, Resident
“It took like probably half an hour for the fire to get over on my side because it actually started like half mile away up the road around the curve and it started on the other side of the road, but with the strong wind and the breeze, it blow across on my side and it’s very unbearable. And with the heat, everything is dry right now so ih easy fi ketch. Ah di look out fi the neighbours cause some ah mi neighbours deh da work and one ah the neighbours is in the states soh I had to grab a hose and gone wet his vehicle, round his house, in the yard, his plants and things noh. I had to relocate my pet over to a neighbour’s house cause as much as I can’t bear it, I think my dog can’t bear it to soh I have to look out fi mi animal cause mi animal look out fi me.”
The Mountain View Campground near mile twenty-five had also come under threat and Hilberto Rosado was helping the caretaker to keep the flames away.
Voice of: Hilberto Rosado
“We got saved by a north wind that came in and pushed the fire away from the buildings. If you see how they are located, it was supposed to come straight across to the road, but that breeze came in and diverted it and that was what minimized the whole situation of protecting this whole property.”
Farther inland, the Belize Zoo came under serious threat a week ago, when another bushfire burnt the perimeter of the zoo and staff had to spring into action to save the facility, as Conservation Program Manager, Jamal Andrewin Bohn told us.
Jamal Andrewin Bohn
Jamal Andrewin Bohn, Conservation Program Manager, The Belize Zoo
“We spent the better part of three days battling fires day and night that were threatening where we’re standing at the moment. It’s actually the Sharon Matola Wildlife Sanctuary and just behind us up the road is where the zoo started originally. There are still structures there that are now owned by a scientist that runs a research station, so we’re neighbours. The fire that came up from the east towards threatened the Tropical Education Centre, our neighbours nearby and of course the zoo by extension.”
The zoo is a founding member of the Maya Forest Corridor Fire Working Group, which has been doing training and providing equipment and gear to communities, and responding to wildfires in central Belize with funding from the U.S. Embassy, and Bohn Said they had to use all their resources and volunteer hands to protect the zoo.
Jamal Andrewin Bohn
“Ourselves along with our friends from WCS and FWC, we were out here basically trying to keep the fire at bay and in some areas we even put in backfires to meet with the main one to have it extinguish where they met up. It affects the animals the same way it does us human beings, Marion. It impacts their respiration if its severe smoke, it impacts their eye sight, It elevates heat measures so we already have concerns about high temperatures so that smoke-filled area with no breeze and a lot of debris in the area just makes it kinda like an oven. Everything is baking. So in those cases, while our team is trying to put out the fire as quickly as possible, the people responsible for the animals will just ensure that they have access to additional water, they can cool down. A lot of them have access to where they can immerse themselves, and we just monitor.”
On our way back, we observed firefighters hosing down a house near mile twelve that was almost gutted by another fire that drifted in that area. District Supervisor with the Belize National Fire Service, Kenneth Mortis said there are things that people can do to prevent a fire from destroying property and lives.
Via phone: Kenneth Mortis
Via phone: Kenneth Mortis, Belize District Supervisor, Belize National Fire Service
“Our number one advice will be to create a fire clearance perimeter around your structure, whether it be a six feet clearance or a 10 feet clearance. Now you might want to ask yourself, why do I want to go and cut, push around my house? So that’s the reason my biggest, my biggest thing is I know that we represent a national fire service, but on, unfortunately, we are not in a position to cover every corner of country.”
The people who were directly impacted by the bushfires today had a message for people who wantonly set these fires and leave them to spread.
Voice of: Kevin
“If you spark wa small fire ih actually wa spread and ih spread real fast as yoh could see soh to the persons deh weh di light the fire, come on guys, unu have to think mein. Stop be careless.”
Jamal Andrewin Bohn
“We won’t condemn people for setting fires. What we will say though is that you are obligated by law to do so responsibly. The fire that starts in your backyard or your farm, it may be your business but if it gets out of hand it becomes everybody’s problem.”
Marion Ali for News Five.
