| Mokhtar Andriantomanga, governor of Boeny, holds in his hands an endemic Angonoka turtle, saved from the flames. |
Fires resurface in Baly Bay. Several actors are mobilizing to avoid the tragedy of 2022.
A helicopter took off from Mahajanga around 7:40 a.m. yesterday morning to reach Baly Bay, where a fire has broken out since September 24. The governor of Boeny, Mokhtar Andriantomanga, Andry Fidiniaina Moïse Rasamoelina, secretary general of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, the deputy of Soalala, Mahafaly Joseph Said Zakaniaina, and Jimmi Christian Andrianantenaina, interregional director of Environment and Development Boeny and Betsiboka, were on board this aircraft. “The objective of this joint descent is to fight this fire and raise awareness among the local population to put out fires, to avoid a large spread, as was the case two years ago,” said Diredd. Around 8,000 ha out of the 50,000 ha of this protected area were reduced to ashes, after several days of fire in September 2022, according to estimates from Madagascar National Parks (MNP).
This national park has been burning for almost a week. The fires are believed to have come from an uncontrolled cleanup fire. Several fire spots were detected at the end of the reserve. Gendarmerie, National Police, district, park manager, Madagascar National Parks and Durrell staff, as well as the population, mobilize to put out the fires, with water bags and tree branches; a firewall is built.
Mastered
The strong wind and the heat do not make the task easy. The fires continue to spread. The damage would not be “very serious” at the moment. “The hard core of the park is not affected. The flames consume the savannah, blue palm trees and the degraded forest,” explains this official. The area burned since September 24 has not yet been determined.
The fire is said to be close to being brought under control in Soalala. “We only have one point of fire left to put out. A firewall will be built tomorrow morning (editor’s note: this morning), from dawn. Doing it now (editor’s note: yesterday afternoon) is dangerous. With the high heat, fires can be fatal,” explains a source in Soalala.
The Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development encourages this mobilization of all stakeholders to fight forest fires and bush fires. Certainly, everyone’s contribution is necessary. But if we want to limit the damage, if we have the means to mobilize a helicopter for each fire affecting a protected area, we can invest in means capable of dropping water on the burned areas.
Miangalya Ralitera
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