The Northeast Departmental Directorate and the Forestry and Renewable Energy Directorate (DFER) of the Ministry of the Environment (MoE), in partnership with the Hispaniola Botanical Garden, the Northeast Civil Protection Agency, and the US Forest Service, organized a training workshop on community-based forest fire management in Ouanaminthe.

This activity, which brought together 45 delegates from universities, the Municipal Agricultural Bureau, Civil Protection, as well as environmental and agricultural associations, aimed to better prepare for the critical forest fire season expected between January and April 2026.

Participants, who came from the municipalities of Vallières, Fort-Liberté, Perches, Ouanaminthe, Capotille, and Carice, were trained on several key topics : integrated forest fire management, reducing agricultural burning practices, prevention and response techniques, and the use of modern technological tools.

In his remarks, Luckin Charles, Departmental Director for the Northeast, reiterated the Ministry of the Environment's commitment to collaborating with various stakeholders in the sector to reduce forest fire outbreaks in the department.

For his part, Agronomist Doudy expressed his concerns about the fire risks in the Hispaniola Botanical Garden, which covers an area of ​​21 hectares.

Agronomist Éder Audate, Director of the DFER and instructor in forest fire management, explained the different phases of forest fire management, emphasizing the need to strengthen local capacities within communities for a rapid and coordinated response. He noted that between November 2022 and November 2025, 221 fire alerts were recorded by NASA's Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), a figure that represents a significant increase compared to previous years.

He also emphasized the importance of establishing an alert and damage assessment system, as well as using the Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) software, developed by NASA, which allows for real-time monitoring of fires using satellite images. Finally, he advocated for the development of a national legal framework to govern the prevention, management, and restoration of areas affected by forest fires in Haiti.

Given the relevance of this topic, a new training session is already scheduled for November 24-28, 2025, to continue building the capacity of local stakeholders.

IH/ iciHaiti