Photo: Pedro Lazo Rodríguez

Havana, Feb 26 (RHC) Specialized forces of Pinar del Río are fighting a forest fire of medium proportions in the Pilotos popular council, in the municipality of Consolación del Sur.

Andy Luis Valle Rodríguez, second chief of the province's Forest Ranger Corps, explained to the Cuban News Agency that the fire, which started Friday afternoon, has preliminarily affected more than 70 hectares of various forest species.

The drought and the absence of roads to trace strategies have had an impact on the containment of the flames, so they are currently making trails with bulldozer equipment and working to prevent its spread, he added.

The fire extends to the area of Homero and pre-mountain areas of the cooperatives of Agricultural Production Eliseo Caamaño and Julito Díaz, he said, while there are no nearby towns.

He pointed out that firefighters, members of the Ministry of the Interior, the Forest Ranger Corps of La Palma, Pinar del Río, Viñales, and San Juan y Martínez; and workers of the forestry companies of Pinar del Río, La Palma, and Consolación del Sur are trying to contain the flames.

According to Tele Pinar, the province reported 115 forest fires last year, which caused damage to 1,279 hectares (Source: ACN).