GUATEMALA: FOREST FIRES CONTINUE TO RAGE OUT OF CONTROL
(27 Apr 1998) Spanish/Nat Fires continue to rage out of control throughout the north of Guatemala as the country waits anxiously for rain. More than 150-thousand hectares of forest have been destroyed by the fires, which have burned down crops and left hundreds of people homeless. Part of the destroyed area includes protected forest reserves containing important archaeological sites from the Mayan age and unique flora and fauna. The northern forests of Guatemala contain some of the most precious relics of the Mayan age. These Mayan temples are deep in a forest now part of a national park and designated a protected area by UNESCO. And it is not just home to archaeological sites - hundreds of diverse species of animals and plants rely on this unique forest environment. So far, the fires have destroyed over three square kilometres of National Park forest. But all of it is threatened if the fires raging out of control across the region continue. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) "We have no idea what the original cause of the fires was, although we would guess that in some form it could have been caused by people going in to the park illegally to exploit the natural resources there" SUPER CAPTION: Oswaldo Gomes - Archaeologist So far 153-thousand hectares of forest and agricultural land have been burnt to a cinder. Most of the fires were started by small time farmers who usually keep them under control - but everyone relies on rain if blazes do get out of hand. This year the rain has stayed away and hundreds of fires are now unstoppable. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) "We are completely destroyed - all our maize is gone and all the families here how are we going to defend ourselves? Because maize is everything, we have our money in maize, there are 41 of us and we are ruined, we are devastated - how are we going to keep ourselves now?" SUPER CAPTION: Francisco Tzir - Peasant farmer Apart from a long-awaited downpour there is some hope that outside help might come in the form of technical assistance and manpower. United States embassy officials have announced they are looking into the possibility of sending help - food and shelter for the people and technical support and manpower to help fight the fires. But so far the fires are being fought with few resources and environmentalists fear they will be unable to contain the blaze. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
