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USAID Provides $50,000 in Response to Dominican Republic Wildfires
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2005
2005-23
Press Office: 202-712-4320
Public Information: 202-712-4810
www.usaid.gov
Contact: USAID Press Office
WASHINGTON, DC - In response to wildfires in the Dominican Republic, the U.S. Agency for International Development's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) announced today that it will provide $50,000 to support local firefighting efforts. On March 31, U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic Hans H. Hertell issued a disaster declaration due to the damage caused by the wildfires.
Three months of intensive drought caused wildfires to break out in and around the Jose del Carmen Ramirez National Park on March 11 in the Dominican Republic's Central mountain range. Approximately 100,000 hectares have been consumed by the fires in the past three weeks. To date there are no reported casualties, though 70 people were evacuated from the area when the wildfires began.
While firefighters have contained the wildfires, the drought has reduced the availability of water for human consumption and the irrigation of crops. Hillside planting of coffee and other basic crops has also been affected. The deterioration of ground cover has already created soil erosion and has increased sedimentation of dam reservoirs and water system intakes. The U.S. Government, including USAID/OFDA, will continue to monitor the situation, which is expected to worsen with the beginning of the rainy season.
Please visit our website for more information on USAID's efforts in the Dominican Republic: http://www.usaid.gov.
The U.S. Agency for International Development has provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years.
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