In this perspective, the executive secretary of the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred), Claudinne Ogaldes, in a press conference together with authorities from the National Defense of Guatemala, Insivumeh, Inab and Conap ruled out the request for support for international rescuers , since the country has not yet exceeded its response capabilities, as they stated.
“We have not made an international appeal because the country’s response capabilities have not been exceeded. At the moment, we are attending to the 14 active fires. If at any time of the day, or when the other fires advance, it is determined that the capacities are exceeded, an international call is made. Meanwhile, we will be using the country’s resources, both public and private,†said the executive secretary.
Although there is still no official data, experts estimate that approximately 20 hectares of land have been consumed by the fire.
MITIGATION WORK SUSPENDED AFTER 5:00 PM
To this extent, the authorities indicated that the president, Bernardo Arévalo, is monitoring the situation despite being outside the country. Given the questions about the control of the fire at night, the experts pointed out that after 5:00 p.m. it is no longer possible to work in the incident area.
“You cannot work by air or by land, since the conditions do not allow the visibility of the people who are fighting the fire, this also for the protection of their lives. The fire did not advance during the night, since the breeze conditions prevented it from expanding,†they commented.
WARNING TO CIVILIANS
Ogaldes warned civilians who want to fight fires on their own, not to take risks since this work requires knowledge of fire fighting and personal protective equipment, otherwise there could be consequences.
WORK TEAM
- Ministry of National Defense: 34 people and two vehicles.
- Volunteer Firefighters: 8 people and 8 vehicles.
- Municipality of La Antigua Guatemala: 36 people and three vehicles.
- Organized volunteering: 141 people and three vehicles.
- Municipality of Santa María de Jesús: 40 people and three vehicles.
- Guatemala helicopters: 2 people and two vehicles.
- Nature Protection Division (Diprona): 3 people and a vehicle.
- Municipality of Alotenango: 16 people and one vehicle.
- Municipality of San Lucas Sacatepequez: 25 people and two vehicles.
- Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN): 6 people and two vehicles.
- National Forest Institute (INAB): 2 people and a vehicle.
- National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP): 5 people and a vehicle.
- Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA): 2 people.
- Guatemala Red Cross: 13 people and four vehicles.
- Departmental Firefighters Association: 31 people and four vehicles.
- National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred): 23 people and five vehicles.
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