QCOSTARICA – The dry conditions in several regions of the country, plus the strong winds, have caused a large number of fires in the national vegetation.
Authorities of the Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación (Sinac) – National System of Conservation Areas- have already registered more than 6,000 vegetation fires and 39 forest fires, affecting the flora and fauna of these areas.
Vegetation fires include those that occur in forests, tacotales (thick bushes), charrales (weeds), pastures with trees or only pastures.
Among the latest incidents dealt with is a forest fire in the Reserva Biológica Lomas Barbudal (Lomas de Barbudal Biological Reserve), part of the Arenal Tempisque Conservation Area, that covers an area of 6,536 acres in the province of Guanacaste, which was active for two weeks, and now they are working to control another fire within the Protected Wilderness Area, Mundo Nuevo site, of the Guanacaste Conservation Area.
Last year, 23 forest fires were recorded in Areas Silvestres Protegidas (Wild Protected Areas) throughout the season, however, so far in 2022, 19 incidents have already been recorded inside these protected areas.
