Tony Rath published an article about the fires and the illegal ranches in the Chiquibul and the Vaca Plateau. It's a must read, albeit quite depressing once one realizes that millions of dollars are behind the illegal encroaching into the reserves.
"The past month has been rough for the people of western Belize. Clouds of acrid, eye burning smoke settled over the countryside, insidiously penetrating cars, buildings and bedrooms leaving no place for relief. With blistering heat, little breeze and quarantined by Covid-19 to their homes, Belizeans were getting a preview of what the entrance to hell must be like...
I was part of a ranger team from Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD) tasked with documenting the extent and origin of the wildfires in Vaca Forest Reserve and the Chiquibul National Park...
Due to lack of law enforcement by GOB, none of these efforts have stemmed the tide of destruction. What is left of the Vaca Reserve is a two mile wide redoubt along the great Chiquibul forest northern border. Should this last buffer fall, the natural wealth and watersheds that is the Chiquibul would be exposed and vulnerable. FCD is struggling to keep the Vaca alive."
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