Panama Fires on More than 60 Thousand Hectares have Caused $54 Million in Losses
The number of forest fires increases on weekends and holidays when people are at home.
From 2020 to September 2024, 4,765 forest and vegetation fires have been recorded, according to the Forestry Directorate of the Ministry of the Environment (MiAmbiente). These fires have affected a total of 60,614 hectares of forests, forest plantations, grasses and stubble that were part of the natural environment, MiAmbiente added. Juan Carlos Navarro, Minister of the Environment, warned that the losses caused are estimated at more than 54.7 million dollars, in addition to the invaluable impact it has on biodiversity. The minister added that the provinces with the most damage are Coclé, Darién, Chiriquí, Panama and Veraguas.
“The numbers are dramatic. These fires put the lives of firefighters at risk, who are called to put out these fires. Almost a thousand fires per year, of which 182 were in national parks and protected areas, which is where MiAmbiente has to fight them head on,” he said. This situation is aggravated with the arrival of the dry season, which is why the entity, together with the Benemérito Cuerpo de Bomberos de Panamá (BCBP), the National Civil Protection System (Sinaproc) and the National Police (PN), installed this week the National Commission for the Prevention, Control and Management of Forest Fires (Conprecmaif), which will have as its main line of inter-institutional action the timely prevention of forest fires, after two presidential administrations of inactivity.
This commission will be headed by Victor Alvarez, director general of BCBP; Omar Smith, director general of Sinaproc and Juan Carlos Navarro, Minister of Environment. In addition, it will have the participation and support of the National Police, the Red Cross and the Civil Aeronautics Authority. Juan Carlos Navarro, Minister of the Environment, said that the authorities will be vigorous in imposing exemplary fines and filing the corresponding complaints with the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Environmental Crimes against those found responsible for causing forest fires. These fires have affected a total of 60,614 hectares of forests, forest plantations, grasses and stubble that were part of the natural environment. MiAmbiente has 22 volunteer forest brigades and 264 firefighters nationwide, equipped with personal protection equipment and tools.
Navarro said that the authorities will be vigorous in imposing exemplary fines and filing the corresponding complaints with the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Environmental Crimes against those found responsible for causing forest fires. In addition, those responsible will be subject to criminal proceedings for damage to biodiversity and natural resources, where appropriate. “The minimum fine is $2,000, depending on the damage. The maximum fine is infinite, the maximum fines for serious fires can range from hundreds to millions of dollars,” Navarro said. Amid the announcement of the reactivation of Conprecmaif, the campaign “No to fire, Yes to life” was launched, with the aim of encouraging the population to support the prevention of forest and plant fires (IMAVES), and for communities to become aware of the proper use of fire.
