The government of El Salvador declared a national emergency after counting 625 fires so far this year, a significant increase compared to the 412 recorded in the same period last year.
The National Civil Protection Commission issued a yellow alert throughout the country, while security, Environment, and Civil Protection institutions deployed joint operations to contain the damage and prevent new outbreaks in vulnerable areas.
Factors Favoring Spread
Reports from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) indicate that the presence of numerous hot spots and the abundance of dry vegetation have created a conducive environment for the fire’s expansion.
These adverse environmental conditions increase the risk of new emergencies and complicate control efforts.
Emergency Balance
The Fire Department of El Salvador reported:
- 52 forest fires in the first month of the year.
- 458 incidents in brush, affecting about 339 hectares.
- 115 emergencies in dumps, creating a critical situation in areas with highly combustible vegetation.
On average, 20 fires are attended daily nationwide, reflecting the magnitude of the problem.
Immediate Actions
Authorities intervened in specific cases such as:
- Urbanization Sierra Morena I (Soyapango, San Salvador): fire in brush and leaf litter contained at night.
- Caserío Metayate (Agua Caliente, Chalatenango): specialized personnel stopped the advance of the flames near a house.
- Cerro Champantec (Nejapa, San Salvador): timely response prevented the fire from reaching residential areas.
Impact on Health and Population
The smoke generated by the combustion of plant material affected the health of several people in vulnerable areas, increasing the pressure on emergency care entities. Authorities recommended the population:
- Immediately report any fire outbreak.
- Avoid campfires in protected natural areas.
- Remember that intentionally causing fires can lead to legal sanctions.
National Coordination
The preventive deployment included the activation of:
- Sectoral Technical Commissions for Security, Emergency Services, and Infrastructure.
- The National Emergency Operations Center, responsible for coordinating response and monitoring.
- The fire management tables of the National Forest Fire Commission, which adopted an operational condition to implement the National Fire Management Strategy.
The increase in forest fires in El Salvador reflects an environmental and health crisis that requires citizen vigilance, institutional coordination, and strict preventive measures.
The national emergency seeks to contain immediate damage but also raises the need to strengthen fire management and resilience to extreme climatic phenomena.
