Caracas El Avila mountain slopes hit by more bush fires

www.vheadline.com Posted: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

5 forest fires have been reported yesterday afternoon in the Metropolitan area of Caracas ...  Puerta de Caracas, El Marques, Cota 905, the Tazon and El Junquito have been hit by fires as the summer drought continues and the country waits for the rainy season to start.

• Firefighters say 30 fires have been reported and brought under control in the last two weeks.

Caracas Fire Department commander Rodolfo Briceno says it has been one of the longest dry seasons he has experienced … “it’s been hard work compared to last year … there have been far more forest fires than last year when we tackled an average 10 fires a week.”

Fires, the tired firefighter says, are caused by the same old problems, namely bottles and cigarette butts thrown out of cars.  The State Civil Protection Department reports that there have been 300 fires this season so far.