But even while the fire fighting efforts continue, there are still farmers who continue to burn and leave their fires unattended. And in addition, there are farmers along the border of the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve who are restricting access to their ponds even after causing the fires currently destroying the forest.
We asked Minister Habet if they can be penalized, but he says once they have a permit, there's little the Forest Department can do.
Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development
"The Forest Department can't do it right now once they have a permit from the Agriculture Department. So I think there has to be a meeting where the two ministries will have to meet and we'll make a decision on who should get a permit, who shouldn't, what would be the conditions and requirements, maybe increase the conditions and requirements so that it becomes more strict so that people can't just start the burning of the fire but I was in Santa Familia yesterday afternoon, the truck had just left, and there was fire for three days and there was some people piling up bushes in their yard and lighting a fire, we said no, we can't continue to do this, it will get away. So there is a lot of education, a lot conscientiousness has to be gathered from the citizenry, but it has to be something that we inculcate in our young people from school age."
