The fire in Sierra de Baoruco tests tourism management

A forest fire in the Aceitillar area, next to Hoyo de Pelempito inside Sierra de Baoruco National Park in Pedernales, is now under control, according to Suelocaribe. The flames spread during a drought of nearly half a year and left visible damage in one of the most scenic spots in the Dominican south.

The park is part of the nature-tourism appeal that the area wants to sell, a segment Pedernales is courting after its first hotels opened. The incident exposes a weakness: fire prevention in protected areas is not moving at the same pace as that tourism bet, as Suelocaribe points out. Without equipped crews or clear protocols, every dry season becomes a gamble.

The read is clear: keeping the park intact is Pedernales' first piece of tourism infrastructure. Beefing up surveillance, controlled-burn plans and coordination with MITUR is an investment with measurable returns in visits and in the country brand itself. The south has room to grow, and doing it with the forest standing is the only version worth having.