Guatemala’s president issues natural disaster declaration as 44 forest fires rage on
Mountains of garbage continue to burn at a landfill in Villa Nueva outside Guatemala’s capital. The fire is one of more than 40 that continue to burn across the Central American country. President Bernardo Arévalo has issued a natural disaster declaration to free up funding for fire fighting efforts and said that 80% of the fires were started by people. Authorities have canceled classes across three central provinces to protect students from the prevailing smoke.
GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Guatemala’s president issued a natural disaster declaration Wednesday as 44 forest fires continue to burn across the Central American country.
President Bernardo Arévalo said that 80% of the fires were started by people. Farmers often burn stubble and grass in their fields around this time of year in preparation for planting.
“The current situation is not a coincidence, 80% of those fires were set,” Arévalo said.
Authorities canceled classes across three central provinces to protect students from the prevailing smoke. One of the largest fires is near a suburb of Guatemala City, the capital.
The declaration frees up funding for fire fighting efforts.
Guatemala is more accustomed to dealing with its restive volcanoes than forest fires.
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