HAVANA (AP) — A major forest fire that broke out over the weekend in eastern Cuba remained uncontrolled on Monday, the island’s state media reported.
A report by Radio Reloj said there were “dozens of people evacuated and homes damaged by the fire”, as firefighters and forest rangers continued to work near a town called Pinares de Mayarí, in the province of Holguín, about 800 kilometers to the east. of the Cuban capital, he added.
The fire first advanced through some 100 hectares of forest on Sunday without immediately reporting the causes, as it comes against the backdrop of severe droughts on the island. January has been quite an active month for fires in the country, according to authorities.
“The smoke density in Pueblo Nuevo is decreasing and the neighbors are safe,” local Mayarí radio journalist Emilio Rodríguez wrote on his Facebook account. “The strategy of the forces fighting it is to stop the passage to areas near La Presa Camp, the Mountain Research Center and the Motel,” he added.
The area is mostly rural and sparsely populated, but two communities – Vivero Dos and Pueblo Nuevo – with some 600 residents are near the incident, he added.
Photographs from the area show large columns of smoke and tongues of fire coming from trees, in one of the most forested regions of the country, according to media reports.
A report by Cuban rangers last week said more than 80 forest fires were reported across the country in January, coinciding with the start of the dry season that extends through May. 87% of these fires were extinguished before reaching five hectares, he explained.
The most affected provinces were Pinar del Río and Artemisa, in the west, and Camagüey and Holguín, in the center and east. 90% were triggered by human actions such as uncontrolled fires, poachers, irresponsible smokers and vehicles that set off a spark, he reported.
The Caribbean nation has reported some 280 wildfires throughout 2022.