Fire in the Sierra de Bahoruco moves into the mop-up phase

The forest fire that has been punishing the Pelempito-Aceitillar area, deep in the Sierra de Bahoruco, moved into the mop-up phase this Saturday. The firefighting crews battling the blaze completed the defense lines and backfires designed to slow its advance, the step before the fire is fully extinguished. According to Dominican Today, that shift into mop-up marks a turning point in work that has kept crews on the ground for days.

The Sierra de Bahoruco, in Pedernales province, is one of the country's natural lungs and part of the mosaic of attractions in the southern region. A fire here is not just an ecological problem, it is a signal for a destination that wants to grow hand in hand with nature tourism. Pedernales has in its national park, its biodiversity and its mountain landscape an asset the country is starting to look at more closely.

The reading is clear: fire is fought better when there is coordination, and that same coordination is what will later allow the area to become a hiking and birdwatching destination with guarantees. The mop-up of the fire is good news for the south.