Forest Fire at Deep River Forest Reserve

A forest fire is raging in the Deep River Forest Reserve in the Toledo District. Senior Correspondent Paul Mahung has the details. 

A major forest fire currently in Deep River Forest Reserve is reported in Toledo District. Toledo Institute for Development and Environment TIDE Payne’s Creek National Park staff is on the ground along with leader of Southern Belize Fire Working Group TIDE’s Terrestrial Manager Mario Muschmp.

Mario Muschamp, Terrestrial Manager, TIDE: “Over the weekend we have been monitoring some wildfires that actually started in the Deep River Forest Reserve and were posing some threats to the Payne’s Creek National Park. Currently where the fire is located it’s in an area where it’s practically contained and it’s just going to burn out that specific area the savannahs that are in there and it’s going to go out on it’s own. These fires are actually started by hunters coming into the Deep River Forest Reserve to hunt and starting these fires. Fortunately for now given this time of the year it is when you get the best conditions for using fire as a management tool. So these fires that we’re currently seeing are not very detrimental and if we manage them when we do assess them they can become positive influence to the survival and regeneration of plants in the pine savannas of these areas. So this time of the year even though we don’t want them they can be beneficial. And so we will be monitoring it very closely more today and see exactly if we should either to suppression or if we should just monitor it as a wildfire and use it to meet specific objectives.”