In less than two months, the fire unit of National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) has had to deal with four forest fires in protected areas.
The Marino Las Baulas National Park, Los Santos Forest Reserve, and the Corral de Piedra Wetland, where two incidents were handled, were affected by the blaze, which consumed a total of 17 hectares.
Luis Diego Román, from SINAC-MINAE, stated that this month they have been using a constant alert system to try and mitigate the effects of fire in protected areas.
We are in the field. We do not depend on a 9-1-1 call. Detection and monitoring patrols and overflights are being conducted to attack any situation immediately,”
said Román.
The institutions are preparing for the most difficult period, when climatic conditions favor fires, which occur in the months of March and April.
So far, there are 870 forest fire volunteers.
We call on the population in several ways: you cannot burning anything if you do not have a permit by the Ministry of Agriculture and even if you have permission, you cannot burn anything when there are windy conditions, like in recent weeks. That makes any fire become a forest fire,”
said the specialist.
In addition to forest fires in protected areas, others have occurred in private spaces. This year, firemen have already dealt with three fires that consumed 1370 hectares. The last two were in Turrúbares and another in Buenos Aires, Puntarenas.