Quebecers who hoped to be able to take advantage of the beautiful tropical temperatures of Honduras have seen their vacation ruined by forest fires which have ravaged part of the country, while a thick cloud of smoke has prevented planes from landing for a few days.
“We were really excited to do our father-daughter trip to Roatan. It was my daughter’s last week of vacation before the start of her internship. There, it’s completely screwed up, ”laments Bernard Legros, stuck in Miami.
The duo, who reside in Vaudreuil-Dorion, were to land in Honduras Friday morning on an American Airlines flight. However, less than twenty minutes before landing, the flight was diverted to Belize due to extreme weather conditions.
“We didn’t know what was going on. We were stuck for six hours in Belize. Outside there was a lot of smoke. This is where we learned about the forest fires that are currently affecting the continent, ”says Mr. Legros.
Faced with the impossibility of landing in Honduras, the plane was redirected to Miami, where dozens of travelers are still stuck.
“Some told me they had been waiting since Wednesday,” said the sixty-something, surprised that the airline had agreed to take off other flights.
Lights of “extreme” power
Two Quebecers living in Roatan, Honduras, told the Log they had never seen anything like it.
“We were really excited to do our father-daughter Roatan trip. It was my daughter’s last week of vacation before the start of her internship. There, it’s completely screwed up, ”laments Bernard Legros, stuck in Miami., explains Gaetan Marsolais, who has been offering all-inclusive services for the day (or more) for 10 years on a small private island called Lime. Cay.
Photo Gaetan Marsolais
In Roatan, the air is thick with smoke from the mainland wildfires.
“The last time we had a lot of smoke coming from the mainland here in Roatàn was in 2020, but it wasn’t as intense,” recalls another resident of the island, Jérôme Guillot. .
On Saturday afternoon, NASA satellite images showed thick smoke billowing in the air over Honduras. This smoke is believed to come from numerous fires set intentionally to prepare the land for harvest in South America.
AFP
By mid-April, forest fires were raging south of the Honduran capital.
However, due to the extreme drought, the fires are said to have spread to the point of causing columns of smoke so thick that they prevent planes from landing.
No solutions
For now, travelers stuck in Miami are still waiting for a flight that is supposed to take them to Roatàn on Sunday. Some travelers have decided to return home and try to get refunds for their canceled flight.
AFP
By mid-April, forest fires were raging south of the Honduran capital.
“We can’t wait any longer, we are the ones who have to bear all the costs while waiting to leave here. We are going back to Montreal with $5,000 in the trash,” laments Bernard Legros.
Rain is expected overnight from Saturday to Sunday on the mainland, which should reduce the amount of smoke in the air and quell the numerous wildfires. Other flights from Miami to Roatan are still scheduled for Sunday during the day.