There are many approaches to fire management in Central America. Costa Rica has a well-developed programme that is based on community involvement. Nicaragua is working to redefine their program. In Guatemala, there is recognition that an effective programme is essential and they initiated training and programme development before the onset of the fires of 1998.
Most of the countries in Central America were affected to some degree by the effects of the drought in 1998 caused by the El Niño event. Escaped agricultural burns were a common problem throughout Central America.
The following wildfire data are for the serious 1998 season for all the Central-American countries. 12
Table 6-4 Wildfire data for 1998 season.
Country |
Total number |
Forests ha |
Agro-pastoral land ha |
Total area ha |
Nicaragua Guatemala Honduras Panama Costa Rica Belize El Salvador |
15 196 10 906 9 594 4 196 1 511 656 227 |
161 685 116 040 102 080 44 645 16 077 6 980 2 415 |
234 778 168 498 148 227 64 828 23 345 10 135 3 507 |
396 464 284 538 250 307 109 474 39 422 17 115 5 922 |
Total |
42 286 |
449 922 |
653 318 |
1 103 242 |
Government Ministers and Programme heads for Forestry and National Parks from throughout Central America gathered in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. The purpose was to discuss the impacts that the1998 fire season had on the region and what collectively the countries might be able to do. Some of the important considerations from the meeting included the following:
• Assure that the farmers and indigenous people are included in the proposed solutions.
• Search for and develop alternative solutions for agricultural burning.
• Adopt and regionalize a farmer-to-farmer extension program as a mechanism to encourage sustainable use of natural resources and to improve agricultural techniques.
The Central America Commission for Environment and Development (CCAD) is a good example of regional-level policy making in Central America. It was created in 1989 by the Presidents of Central America countries. It is composed of the heads of the ministries and agencies most directly responsible for environmental policy in each of the seven Central American countries. CCAD's principal mission is to promote policy coordination, develop new funding, build institutional capacities, make information available and foster citizen participation in addressing the region's environmental problems.
Brief country profiles will be presented for Costa Rica and Guatemala based on information presented at FAO's "Meeting on Public Policies Affecting Forest Fires" held in Rome, Italy, in October 1998. These two reports will be followed by a more in-depth treatment of the fire situation in Nicaragua.
12 Alvarez, R. and R. Benítez. 1998. Ponencia: Incendios forestales en Centroamérica. Foro Regional sobre prevencion y combate a los incendios forestales y regeneracion de areas afectadas. Mexico DF, 26-28 August 1998. 119-121.
