Environmentalist Explains: Is Illegal Dumping Behind Recent Wildfires?

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – With bushfires burning across parts of The Bahamas, including here in New Providence as well as Grand Bahama, and Abaco, concerns are mounting about the frequency and intensity of these fires.

Environmentalist Joe Darville is sounding the alarm saying the issue runs deeper than dry weather.

Joe Darville – Environmentalist

“ These fires are started where there is indiscriminate dumping. I mean, on one particular road here in Freeport, in one less than a quarter mile, I count as 750 bottles.”

In neighborhoods, on highways, even deep in forests, bushfires are breaking out with alarming frequency.

Environmentalist Joe Darville says while dry conditions create the perfect storm.

Many of these blazes are far from natural.

Darville says illegal dumping of trash, construction materials, and household waste is creating the perfect conditions for fires to spark, especially in areas with no regulation or surveillance.

Joe Darville – Environmentalist

“We are treating our, our mother earth like she’s a garbage dump. You know, we are, we are not caring for her at all. And there are seemed to be no penalties for this indiscriminate dumping.”

Adding to that, a rising presence of bracken fern, a native plant whose roots can withstand extreme heat and regrow rapidly after fire.

Joe Darville – Environmentalist

“ The bracken front is intimately connected to, to all of this, our pine, Caribbean pine. So we, we gotta study what is in the environment and then be able to care for it.”

He says the lack of resources and planning for fire response is putting entire communities at risk.

He’s calling for more hydrants, better equipment, and strategic fire breaks.

Joe Darville – Environmentalist

“ We gotta have a multitude of fire equipment ready. We cannot wait on water. We cannot have one fire truck available and then that keep going back and forth, finding out where there is, uh, water access. And also now with all the fires happening, there has to be fire hydrants all throughout the communities.”

Darville is now pushing for a national campaign to stop illegal dumping, coupled with stronger environmental laws and active enforcement.