On April 10, President Bernardo Arévalo of Guatemala announced a 30-day national state of emergency due to widespread wildfires and a major landfill fire.
These blazes pose serious health threats to the country’s residents.
This decisive action, agreed upon by the cabinet, targets the enhancement of firefighting efforts by better allocating resources.
It includes supplying firefighters with personal protective gear and essential tools.
Since November, the nation has grappled with 1,384 fires, primarily in forested areas, destroying over 7,344 hectares.
Alarmingly, human actions ignite 80% of these fires, a fact underscored by the Villa Nueva landfill fire that affects 33 municipalities, disposing around 126,000 tons of waste each month.
President Arévalo sharply criticized these human-induced fires for endangering lives and worsening health due to increased pollution and harmful particulates.
In response to the immediate threat, education was halted in Escuintla, Sacatepéquez, and Guatemala departments.
Authorities have urged the public to minimize outdoor exposure, seal their homes against smoke infiltration, and wear masks to mitigate air pollution risks.
The health impact is evident, with 205 people requiring hospital care for pollution-induced conditions.
President Arévalo emphasized that the fires are causing irreparable damage to Guatemala’s rich biodiversity and raised concerns about this issue.
He is actively seeking international aid, including aerial support, to swiftly extinguish the fires.
Guatemala faces an annual challenge with wildfires, particularly from November to June, the dry season, exacerbated by agricultural land clearing.
This persistent issue calls for a united effort to safeguard both human health and the environment from the devastating effects of fires.