Geronimo Abreu, head of the forest firefighters at the Ministry of the Environment, told Diario Libre that in 34 years putting out fires in Valle Nuevo, “I have never seen anything like this fire, which consumed thousands of hectares of the park until yesterday.”

Abreu stated that between 10 and 15 percent of the surface, which could be severely affected, means that most trees remained alive and could turn green again.

Deputy Forestry Resources Minister Forestry Resources said that the restoration of the flora would take several years and explained that the forest is home to creole pine (Pinus occidentalis) and an introduced species (Pinus caribaea).

A local farmer started the fire when he burned a piece of land for agriculture. Then the fire got out of control.

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