Dr. Kay and Senator Chanona also commented on the recent wildfires in protected areas. She says this year's fires highlighted the connected-ness of nature and its surrounding communities:
Dr. Elma Kay- Belize Network for NGOs
"Absolutely, I think wildfires were something that was always protected by area managers and co-managers that we're bringing to the forefront. But I think this fire season has absolutely shown us that this is something that touches human lives in a very direct way, is no longer an indirect way where we were.To say, Oh, it's just a forest burning. And now we will have reduced areas for capturing water or watershed protection. Now it's actually affecting people's homes, people's livelihoods, people's farms. So I think it's really pointing out the very gaps in capacity that we have. I think there's a lot of hope NGOs and other Co managers have for a long time been training in this aspect of fire management. And so I think the capacity is in country for us to help communities and others to build that capacity, but obviously there is also our responsibility of the state and, you know, our social responsibility as communities to want to improve our capacities to be able to deal with this in a proactive and other reactive way as we have always done. The temperature extremes that we are now facing are part of what I call a new normal. And so this isn't going to go away. The rains are here, but if we don't start preparing for fire now, next season, we are going to face bigger problems."
Janelle Chanona- Senator for NGOs
"I think certainly from where I stand climate change has been impacting our country and I think the devastation we're witnessing unfortunately previews what we're going to continue to see and what's going to continue to worsen. And that is really, really and truly hard for me to grasp where the quote unquote criticism would be coming from in terms of response management because when you talk to the poor managers, they have I mean, it's blood, sweat and tears, too, be on behalf of government and people who are believed to be those men and women on the ground confronting all the challenges that the poaching the Incursions, the wildfires, so it is really should be, you know, instead of attempting to criticize anyone of really looking at let's have a conversation about how we strengthen those people who are on the frontlines."
Forest fires are a serious threat to our environment and communities. Stay informed about fire risks in your area and follow fire safety precautions.
