Timeline shows history of hectares burned annually in forest fires
Experts argue that at least ¢600 million ($1.2 million) is needed annually to prevent and deal with forest fires, combined with another ¢2 billion ($4 million) to invest in infrastructure. However, the 2014 budget allocates only ¢178 million ($388,148), mostly for aerial surveillance.
Last year, fire reduced to ashes more than 55,600 hectares of forest.
Proposed legislation to create a national policy on prevention of forest fires has yet to come before the legislature, but has been presented to the president by the Ministry of Environment (Minae).