a forest of the country devastated by fires

The Bolivian primary forest burns in the department of Santa Cruz just like the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. 30,000 km² of forests have burned since the start of the year, the equivalent of Belgium. A reality and an ecological catastrophe for authorities who are powerless. “In dry weather, trees lose leaves. And dead leaves are flammable “, reports Daniel Velasquez, Deputy Governor of the Province of Nuflo of Chaves.

On the road that runs through San Matias Park in eastern Bolivia, the landscape is nothing but desolation. It doesis that a plash groin as far as the eye can see. Here nobody is fooled on the origins of the fires. Bolivians want to burn forests to create new agricultural land. The rainy season was shorter and later. “The last fire was really very violent, we managed to put it out, but it was getting dangerously close to our houses”, testifies Antonio Tacuchava, farmer.