Express ( Trinidad and Tobago )
10 March 2023 ( Page 7 )
Brace for more bushfires
¦ TTFS warns citizens to be more responsible...
¦ Michelle Loubon
michelle.loubon@trinidadexpress.com
IN the first two months of 2023 there have been close to 400 bushfires and fire officers are warning that number could be higher in April and May, which they consider to be the 'hotter months in the dry season'.
Speaking with the Express yesterday, Divisional Fire Officer in charge of the Fire Prevention Department of the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service (TTFS) Mukhaji Rampersad, February has so far seen the most bushfires.
'Trinidad and Tobago has had about 264 fires for February month, and about 91 for January.' While bushfires can eradicate pests and 'purge' the land, Rampersad warned they are also very dangerous and can cause millions of dollars in damage to homes, businesses and even animals, should they spread.
More fires during Covid
In a phone interview yesterday, Rampersad said during the pandemic, when the country and most people were on lockdown, fire officers responded to numerous bushfires.
'In 2020, there would have been a huge number of bushfires. But I can say and I don't know if it had any correlation to Covid 19. I don't have data that there was any such link.'
Shedding some information on the source of bushfires, Rampersad explained that dry grass and heat make a combustible combination.
'Most of the water content will become brown in colour. And the grass will make fuel for fire. Then you would have 'the ignition' like the cigarette butts, the improper discarding of smoking materials.
'Maybe people are not paying attention to some of the guidelines that should obtain. Then you have farmers engaging in the 'slash and burn' techniques for gardening and farming. If the fire is not lit in a controlled environment, the conflagration spreads.'
He added: 'Another cause stems from lighted embers. Fire can spread a few kilometres from where it started. If you have windy conditions, it whisks the embers along. It is important to remove combustible materials. People are sometimes surprised a small spark miles away can reach a far destination.'
Rampersad said very few people know that glass bottles-which are often discarded anywhere- can also lead to bushfires.
'When people discard glass bottles and it lies in the grassy knolls, the heat can ignite. It operates like a magnifying glass and it raises the temperatures so high it ignites bushfires.'
He warned that bushfires are much more prevalent where there is less water content, and urged people to be even more vigilant as the dry season comes to a close.
'We are still in the month of March. But for April and May, we will see some spikes in the bushfires. The dry season will be more intense, and the environment will be much more intense. Hot, dry and windy conditions would mean we should see an increase.'
He urged that the country cannot afford for bushfires to get out of control.
Cultural shift needed
Meanwhile, both Chief Fire Officer Arnold Bristo and Deputy Chief Fire Officer Andy Hutchinson called for more education and awareness among the citizenry, where bushfires are concerned.
The senior fire officers, who spoke by phone interview, said there needs to be a 'cultural shift' concerning fire safety.
Bristo said: 'We have not reached the peak of the bushfire. Usually, things tend to escalate, as the grass is fuel. You will see the spikes in April before it starts coming down. Bushfires would result in commercial fires. A couple of years ago TSTT lost millions of dollars in cable (optic wires) because of a bushfire and 'poor housekeeping'.'
He made an appeal to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.
'We are asking people to be more responsible as we enter into the dry season. If homeowners practise 'good housekeeping', it can result in fewer bushfires. Simple, simple precautions can reduce chances of the homes catching fire. Teach your children about fire safety.'
Hutchinson said throughout all Fire Service Divisions there have been reports of bushfires and not only human life and property are in danger.
'There has been an increase in all of the divisions. We need all stakeholders on board to ensure fire safety.
We have to secure habitat for other creatures, safeguard ecosystems, protect the environment and the flora and fauna of the country. We have partnered with ODPM, Forestry and Agriculture Ministries.'
Meanwhile, fire officials said anyone found guilty of starting an outdoor fire without a permit will be fined TT$20,000 and six months' imprisonment; it is permissible only for outdoor cooking.
They also urged motorists to use an alternative route, or simply halt in a safer space, and not attempt to drive through fires-which could lead to an accident or even death from smoke inhalation.