The Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources announced that the wildfire in the Aceitillar area of Sierra de Bahoruco, a protected mountain range in the country’s southwest, is now 99% contained following an intensive response led by forest firefighters and technical personnel.
Environment Minister Paíno Henríquez returned to the affected area on Saturday to inspect the damage and review the progress of firefighting efforts alongside emergency teams. He credited the success of the operation to the dedication and experience of the forest firefighters who worked for several days under challenging conditions.
“Today we returned to Sierra de Bahoruco and found a very different situation from just a few days ago. The fire is under control, and that is the result of the work, experience, and commitment of our forest firefighters,” Henríquez said, praising the crews for protecting the country’s forests and natural resources.
Firefighters Faced Difficult Terrain and Weather Conditions
Brigades from the National Fire Management Program, made up of forest firefighters from several provinces, worked continuously in steep and difficult-to-access terrain. Strong winds and dry vegetation complicated efforts to stop the fire’s advance.
Gerónimo Abreu, director of the National Fire Management Program, said crews focused on opening and restoring firebreaks and access roads to reach affected areas more efficiently and contain the flames. The Ministry also deployed heavy equipment to improve access for emergency teams.
Monitoring and Investigation Continue
With the wildfire largely contained, most of the brigades assigned to the operation will begin leaving the area. However, forest firefighters based in Pedernales will remain on site to extinguish the remaining hotspots and monitor the area for any possible flare-ups.
Authorities said some of the access roads restored during the emergency response will remain open to facilitate future patrols, surveillance, and rapid intervention if additional wildfires occur in Sierra de Bahoruco.
Next Steps Include Damage Assessment and Forest Recovery
Once firefighting operations are complete, Ministry specialists will conduct field assessments and investigate the origin of the wildfire to determine where and how it started.
Abreu noted that the pine forests of Sierra de Bahoruco have the natural ability to regenerate after fire events. The Ministry will continue monitoring the affected areas to evaluate ecological recovery and determine whether additional forest management measures will be required.
Henríquez was joined during the inspection by Deputy Minister of Forest Resources José Elías González, Deputy Minister of Protected Areas and Biodiversity Carlos Bautista, Abreu, and other technical personnel. The Ministry also recognized the commitment of the forest firefighters and staff who remained in the mountainous region until the wildfire was brought under control.