2023-10-23 15:50:02
LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — The main cities of Bolivia, Santa Cruz and La Paz, recorded poor air quality on Monday due to smoke resulting from forest burning that this year has been prolonged and aggravated by the drought.
The most contaminated was the city of Santa Cruz, an agro-industrial engine in the east of the country, where several schools had to suspend classes on Monday. Mayor Jhonny Fernández asked residents to wear face masks and avoid outdoor activities while he called an “emergency” meeting with local authorities to coordinate a response to the emergency.
“It is the highest pollution since 2020 and has reached a range of four on a scale of five, which means that the air is dangerous for human health,” said the Secretary of the Environment of the municipality of Santa Cruz, Diego Rojas.
Over the weekend, several flights were delayed in Santa Cruz due to visibility problems. That city—of 2.2 million inhabitants—recorded a temperature of up to 41 degrees Celsius, one of the highest in recent years. “The heat wave, added to strong winds and the lack of rain are aggravating the fires,” added the official.
Most forest fires are caused by farmers who, during the dry season, burn weeds and grasslands to renew crops or expand the agricultural frontier. The season coincides with strong winds and high temperatures, which causes fires to spread and get out of control, according to authorities and experts.
This year the burning has been prolonged due to the drought that is affecting much of the Bolivian territory and much of South America, including the Amazon, of which Bolivia is a part.
Santa Cruz, Beni and La Paz recorded the highest number of fires on Monday. “We are concerned about the escalation of fires in the north of La Paz where 61 assets remain,” said Vice Minister of Civil Defense, Juan Carlos Calvimontes.
The government sent a helicopter to put out the fire from the air, the official said.
The state National Weather Service reported that the rains are delayed and precipitation is expected only in November.
Climate experts attribute the severe drought and high temperatures to the El Niño climate phenomenon, which causes a seasonal warming of the waters of the Pacific that reduces rainfall, and to the exceptional warming of the Atlantic as a result of climate change.
These phenomena are being aggravated by human action such as forest fires, say Bolivian experts. The burning is tolerated with the argument of food production and there are no known legal proceedings against those responsible, according to the Tierra Foundation, dedicated to agricultural studies.
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