The Caribbean Area NRCS and the Puerto Rico Firefighters Corps (PRFC) launched the "Puerto Rico contra el Fuego" wildfire prevention campaign on February 2, 2015 at the University of Puerto Rico Botanical Garden in Río Piedras. To promote fire prevention, NRCS-CB has added two conservation practices – Firebreak and Fuelbreak – to our electronic Field Office Technical Guide (eFOTG). These practices are now available to eligible landusers for funding through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to control potential wildfires in pastureland and forestland. NRCS will also be participating in weekly fire prevention presentations in Puerto Rico’s public schools from February to May (our dry season). The campaign expands upon one of the PRFC’s goals to develop and implement measures to eliminate fire hazards through community education.
The first school activity of the "Puerto Rico contra el Fuego" was held at the Herminio W. Santaella school in Coamo, PR, on February 4, 2015. All the school’s students (about 200) participated in the activity with the PRFC, PR Department of Natural Resources (DNR), UPR Extension Service, 911 and many other agencies and organizations. NRCS staff participating in these educational activities are presenting information to students about the effects of wildfires on our natural resources – SWAPAHE (Soil, Water, Air, Plants, Animals, Humans, Energy).
The first school activity of the "Puerto Rico contra el Fuego" was held at the Herminio W. Santaella school in Coamo, PR, on February 4, 2015. All the school’s students (about 200) participated in the activity with the PRFC, PR Department of Natural Resources (DNR), UPR Extension Service, 911 and many other agencies and organizations. NRCS staff participating in these educational activities are presenting information to students about the effects of wildfires on our natural resources – SWAPAHE (Soil, Water, Air, Plants, Animals, Humans, Energy).