Pinar del Río, April 23.- Forces of the Cuban Forest Ranger Corps (CGB) and specialized brigades from the western province of Pinar del Río, are fighting a very large fire in areas of the municipality of Viñales.
The incident began after 3:00 p.m. local time this Monday in the area known as Altos de Manaca where adult and young Caribbean pines are abundant, explained Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Pereda, head of the CGB in the territory.
The intensity of the winds and the inaccessibility of the terrain make it difficult to confront the flames, which extend to approximately 350 hectares, he said.
Hence, the fire is classified as very large as it exceeds 200 hectares, indicated the CGB fire management specialist in the province, Ariel Nazco.
The expert confirmed that this is the 31st incident recorded so far this year in the second most reforested province in Cuba, which already reported damage to more than 47 hectares of forests.
The head of the CGB in Pinar del Río recalled that the most critical period for the occurrence of these accidents extends until May and adds to this the prolongation of the El Niño phenomenon, which could alter meteorological patterns and raise the earth's temperature.
Hence the importance of being alert because the human factor is responsible for more than 90 percent of forest fires, which not only cause losses to the economy but also to the environment. (PL) (Photo: Taken from the Internet)
