by Eulana Weekes
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN): A synopsis from the federal municipal units of the St.Kitts and Nevis Fire and Rescue Services confirms that wildland fires decreased in the first quarter of 2023, when compared to the year 2022.
Despite the overall downward trend in wildland fires, there was an individual increase at Tabernacle and Charlestown Fire Stations during the first quarter.
In St.Kitts for the first quarter of 2022 (January 01 – April 30), there were a total of 78 wildland fires, whilst in 2023, 69 wildland fires were recorded; a decrease of 12 percent. Of the recent figures presented, the Tabernacle Fire Station responded to 24 wildland fires in January to April 2023 when compared to 17 in 2022; an increase of 41 percent.
For the same period on the island of Nevis, which is serviced by the Charlestown Fire Station, 2 wildland fires were recorded in 2022, whilst 3 were recorded in 2023; an increase of 50 percent.
However, Ag. Fire Sub Officer Ryan Bloice, Head of the Statistics Unit within the SKNFRS told a WINN FM reporter that the weather temperature variation, really has had no major influences on fire behavior.
Bloice, in comparing April 2023 and April 2022, said that April 2023 was hotter than the previous year. The average temperature for April 2022 was 26.7 degrees Celsius whilst for April 2023 the temperature was 29.4 degrees Celsius. The comparison between both years suggests that it was 2 .7 degrees Celsius hotter in April 2023; equivalent to 10 percent.
“The hottest day of April was recorded on 29th April, 2023 which was 31.9 degrees Celsius, making it 14 percent hotter than it was on April 29 2022. On that day there were only two fires recorded” said Bloice.
The second hottest day was April 30, 2023 which measured 31.6 degrees Celsius. There was only one fire recorded on that day. When compared to April 30 2022, it was 9 percent hotter on April 30, 2023.
In reviewing a day earlier in the month, April 02 2023, Bloice said, the temperature recorded was 30 degrees Celsius which was approximately .06 degrees hotter than the average temperature for the entire month of April 2023. When comparing April 02 2023 to the same day in 2022, it was 12 percent higher this year than last year. On April 02 there were only three fires recorded in the Federation; two in St.Kitts and one in Nevis.
Bloice reiterated that the intense heat has had little to no impact on the cause of wildland fires based on the data presented. He however lauded the Fire Prevention Unit for its continuous efforts in ensuring that fire safety awareness is communicated to the general public through different forums.
The Fire Department Statistician recommended the need for “continuous monitoring of the weather temperature fluctuations and awareness campaigns to aid in further fire reductions.”
