National disaster declared in Guatemala as 44 forest fires burn
Guatemala's president issued a natural disaster declaration on Wednesday, April 10 as 44 forest fires continue to burn across the Central American country.
The Guatemalan emergency agency CONRED, said 60 per cent of the fire has been controlled, but poor air quality remains a health hazard.
Authorities cancelled school classes across three central provinces to protect students from the prevailing smoke.
Many of the blazes started when farmers burned stubble and grass in their fields in preparation for planting of crops.
President Bernardo Arévalo said that most of the fires were started by people.
"The current situation is not a coincidence, 80 per cent of those fires were set," he said.
One of the largest fires is at a garbage dump in Villa Nueva, about 15km south of the national capital Guatemala City.
The Guatemalan military has been called in to help with the firefighting. Here a soldier directs a bulldozer during an operation at a garbage dump.
The national disaster declaration will free up government money for firefighting operations.
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