Dominican Republic on FIRE!

Weeks of dry weather have resulted in 'tinder-dry' conditions in the Dominican Republic.

Heat building up in natural humus, and inadequate precautions taken by small farmers employing 'slash-and-burn' techniques have possibly been causative factors in setting off devastating forest fires in the central mountainous forest regions, and elsewhere.

The fires have been burning for nearly two weeks and local fire-fighting teams have made little impact. The rising smoke can be seen on photos taken by a NASA satellite a week or so ago and shown here:

Dominican Republic on fire!!

NASA Observatories state that "March is typically the driest month in the Dominican Republic, but an exceptionally dry winter may have increased the fire hazard. The dry season usually runs from December to May for most of the island, but the first three months of 2005 were even drier than normal..."

The DR Government is seeking international assistance to stop the fires which have also broken out on Los Haitises and Villa Altagracia. The fires threaten to destroy the already much reduced forested areas. At least 16 separate fires are reported to be burning at this moment across the Island.

Find your preferred news source and keep in touch with Dominican Republic News via this link.

DominicanR 25/03/05
Travel
Weblogs


________________________________________

Message for Website Builders:

Are you interested in building your own website? For fun, business and/or profit. Then pick up the vital free dowload via our other 'blog' now: Developing a business online - Free Book

________________________________________