Agriculture Ministry warns against lighting open fires amid another major bush fire in St Elizabeth

The Ministry of Agriculture is urging the public to avoid lighting open fires amid dry conditions, following another fire in Pedro Plains, St Elizabeth.

The Ministry, in a statement on Tuesday, said the fire damaged approximately 12 acres of farmland, including seven acres of recently planted watermelon.

The incident is the second major fire reported in Pedro Plains and the third in St Elizabeth within the past two weeks, it noted.

The Agriculture Ministry said these incidents raise concerns about the growing impact on farmers, agricultural infrastructure and food production.

It noted that the fire damaged irrigation infrastructure, including main lines and drip lines, as well as fencing and grass mulch used to retain soil moisture.

The Ministry is therefore appealing to members of the public to exercise extreme caution and refrain from lighting fires for land clearing, garbage disposal or any other purpose during the prevailing dry conditions.

“Such fires can spread quickly, placing nearby farms, communities and agricultural infrastructure at risk.”

The Ministry noted that the effects of these fires extend beyond the acreage directly burned.

“Damage to crops, irrigation systems, fencing and other farm infrastructure can interrupt production and impose significant additional costs on affected farmers.”

The Agriculture Ministry said the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is continuing its assessment of the affected area to document the losses sustained and determine the full impact on agricultural production.

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