Wildfires continue burn in the region

Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer 

As high heat affects Latin America and the Caribbean, wildfires are raging and threaten the safety and quality of life of the people in Guatemala, Mexico and Guyana.

Guatemala is currently facing 40 active forest fires and so the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED) in response, declared a 30 day state of calamity on April 10, according to a report from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Also, the report says the Ministry of Education in three departments, Guatemala, Escuintla and Sacatepéquez, was forced to suspend classes in an effort to maintain the safety and health of students and teachers, given the threat of air pollution due to the mammoth fires.

The surface area damaged by the fires so far sums up to about 18,226 acres of land, putting many families at risk of loss of property.

Mexico is also on the line of defense against these fires. The OCHA says the National Forestry Commission (CONAFO) informs that as of April 11, there are 70 active forest fires in 19 states and at least 32,026 thousand hectares burned, mostly in the southern states.

With strong efforts to ensure these fires are under control, the report highlights that about 3,115 troops have been deployed to control the fires with aerial support teams.

Additionally, Guyana too has been battling wildfires with 28 people currently in a shelter in the village of Santa Arratack.

Last month an elderly male lost his life to a bush fire in Guyana.

As of April 10, fires have burned more than 40,000 acres there.