‘99 per cent of bush fires caused by human error’ - McKenzie

Desmond McKenzie, minister of local government and rural development, has expressed deep concern over the rash and increasing numbers of intentionally set bush fires given the prevailing drought condition across the island.

He urged Jamaicans to be more responsible in safeguarding the environment and their lives and property.

McKenzie was speaking at a press conference at the offices of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in St Andrew to address the issue of the meteorological drought now being experienced islandwide.

“It is at a point ... where there (is) serious cause for concern. We have seen an increase in the amount of bush fires this year than ever before ... . Ninety-nine per cent of these bush fires are caused by human error either burning of garbage or trying to clear fields [by] farmers burning lands ... that have created major, major major concern,” McKenzie said.

“Last weekend was a terrible week in the Corporate Area. The Jamaica Fire Brigade had to call on the Jamaica Defence Force, which had to use its helicopter to pull gallons of water, dipping buckets into the Mona reservoir to out bush fires. I understand it’s almost a thousand buckets of water were removed from the Mona reservoir to out bush fires,” he said.

In its presentation, the Jamaica Fire Brigade reported that more than 1,300 bush fires occurred last month, representing a 95 per cent increase when compared to January, with an alarming 1,968 bush fires recorded since the start of the year.

Commissioner of the Jamaica Fire Brigade, Stewart Beckford, noted that 665 bush fires were recorded for the month of January. For February, St Catherine and Kingston and St Andrew municipalities recorded the highest number of bush fire incidents at 270 and 180 cases, respectively.

“With regard to bush fires, their profile, especially so far this year, is particularly troubling,” he said.

He reported that of the 7,756 fires that occurred islandwide in 2022,forty-five cases were classified as an act of nature, 284 fires were caused by discarded lights, such as cigarette butts, and 1,577 incidents were caused by careless use of fires. A total 3,518 bush fires were recorded for 2022.

Beckford said with two months already gone in 2023, there has been an escalation of that pattern where in almost every case, the bush fires are directly caused by people’s actions.

He urged persons to discontinue careless practices that could lead to fires.

“We estimate that properties across Jamaica, valued at approximately J$$334.9 billion dollars, are at risk from fires. While the JFB continues to work at preventing and responding to fires, there’s also the individual societal responsibility to save personal and community loss and tragedy,” Beckford said.

The commissioner shared further that only 72 per cent of the 21,000 fire hydrants islandwide are operational, noting that some 20 per cent of those that are not working were rendered so due to a variety of factors, with the complement now at ‘’adequate’ level.

“Some of them have been knocked down in vehicular crashes. Some of them have been covered over by persons who are doing construction work, and so on. Last year, we would have repaired a number of hydrants, so in a nutshell, we have what we refer to as an adequate hydrant network to supply our needs now,” Beckford said.

He gave the assurance, however, that with the current boom in the local construction industry, more fire hydrants will be commissioned in communities across the island.

“What happens in terms of hydrants is that every development that you see going up, there is a requirement for a certain number of hydrants to be a part of that development. And so there are adequate hydrants being installed in all of these developments that you are seeing going up. Construction of roads, there is also a requirement for hydrants to be along those thoroughfares,” Beckford said.

ainsworth.morris@gleanerjm.com