Congress of Paraguay Approves Bill Declaring National Emergency Due to Wildfires

Wildfires in Bahía Negra, Paraguay seen from Brazil, at the other side of the Paraguay River. Source: Commons.

The Paraguayan Congress approved a bill declaring a 90-day national emergency due to heightened environmental concerns on October 1. The bill, passed in record time, provides extraordinary resources to mitigate and compensate for damages caused by the recent wildfires. It also enabled the government to request international assistance. 

On the same day the bill became law, the Paraguayan Information Agency (IP) recorded more than 12,000 hotspots throughout the country while the National Forestry Institute released figures documenting the increased prevalence of wildfires throughout 2019. Similarly, the Directorate of Meteorology and Hydrology stated that on the first day of October, temperature soared to an historic 108.5˚ F amidst Paraguay’s worst drought in 50 years. These high temperatures, compounded with the drought, have intensified Paraguay’s wildfire season. 

The government of Paraguay requested assistance from Chile and Brazil on October 2 to combat the conflagrations following an epidemiological alert about health risks posed by the fires. Paraguayan Interior Minister Euclides Acevedo supported the decision to request international aid and remarked that Paraguay had no alternatives.

The government condemned people lighting fires deliberately and requested civilians to report those suspected of carrying out such acts. Officials have also asked the citizens to refrain from burning trash, dropping cigarette butts, or similar activities given that they may inadvertently ignite a blaze. Acevedo expressed that “the government is appealing to people’s conscience,” given that most fires were “irresponsibly provoked.” 

Fortunately, casualties have stayed low and projected rainfall should alleviate the crisis. Nevertheless, Paraguay stands as an example of the increasingly devastating consequences of wildfires amplified by climate change, and its situation underscores the importance of forest management practices.