| Forest Fires | 
Page 3 of 3
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The Belizean Forest Department has had little
success in fire control, even in the pine plantations. The
staffing and equipment of the Forest Department have been
so reduced that the fire protection scheme (Johnson, 1974)
has never been implemented successfully. The priority areas
for fire control outlined in the fire protection scheme
have been so affected by wildfire that the stocking of healthy
live trees appears to have been reduced below any level
that would justify the expense (ODA, 1989).
Belize has experienced massive fires in broad-leaved forest
after hurricanes, which cause large amounts of debris. Initially,
these fires are usually started by farmers and may be accidental
escapes from farm clearings. The debris caused by the hurricane
is such that access and movement for firefighters is very
difficult. Consequently, these fires are difficult to suppress
unless they can be reached at a very early stage. Fire in
broad-leaved forest may stimulate the regeneration of mahogany
and cedar but more usually there is complete destruction
of forest and replacement by persistent bracken, which is
itself a fire hazard (Johnson & Chaffey 1973).
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 For the same reason selective logging practices
also create favorable conditions for the spread of wildfires.
Not only do the discarded crown and branches provide fuel
for fires, also the resulting scrubby growth following the
opening of the canopy is usually more incandescent than
the original forest.
More than anything, slash and burn agriculture has
to be seen as the main culprit for fires in lowland
broadleaf forests. In general the subsistence farmer
has little consideration for the well being of the
forest and most farmers do not take escaped "milpa"
fires seriously. And the 1998 effort by PFA (1998)
clearly shows that most fires occurred near human
habitation (Figure left), this map also shows that
the fire intensity is higher in neighboring countries
where the human pressure is higher.
Observations in the field show that burned hill tops
are virtually always connected with agricultural clearings
in at the foot of the same hill. The only noteworthy
exceptions seem to be some fire damaged areas well
away from any activity on a hillcrest of the Maya
Mountains. Lightning strike is the most plausible
explanation for these burned areas although agriculture
is present at the feet of some of these same hills
and fire-creep below the canopy remains a distinct
possibility.
Using the characteristics of each ecosystem and taking into account other variables listed below, it was possible to produce an updated (November 2004) fire risk assessment map for Belize (Figure right, click for a larger image).
- High incidence of Cohune (Attalea cohune) palms which are highly flammable,
- A 500 m buffer zone around (pine) savanna indicating high risk of fire penetration in surrounding ecosystems,
- Mechanized agriculture with 500 m buffer indicating medium risk of fire penetration in surrounding ecosystems,
- Non-mechanized agriculture with 1000 m buffer indicating high risk of fire penetration in surrounding ecosystems,
- Human settlements with 6 km buffer and fire risk class value based on poverty data of 2000 population census,
- Areas with slopes of > 10%,
- Rainfall isohyets for Belize.
In conclusion, the importance of fire in
Belizean ecosystems has largely been downplayed
but is probably of major, and increasing, significance.
More investigations are needed to establish the actual
impact and possible measures to prevent the damage
caused.
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