The Editor, Sir:

There can be no debating the beauty of our island, especially at this time of year. In particular, the majestic Blue Mountains and its lower hills boast untold hectares of pine and fir trees, bamboo copses, flame of the forest, poui and bougainvillea in abundance, and also a variety of flowering shrubs, wild orchids and ferns.

This original visual feast is home to hundreds of exotic species of indigenous birds and wide-eyed ecotourists. Alas too, it is home to an apprehensive populace, constantly vigilant of the inevitable onslaught of 'bush fire season', and its sad reward of the sputtering soot-filled belch of a degraded environment ... year after year.

I cannot subscribe to the popular notion that 'bush fire season' is mostly the result of spontaneous combustion, or the carelessly tossed cigarette butt. Some careful observation over the past several decades has shown that always between January to March, the same land tracts in the hills of St Andrew and the Blue Mountains, inevitably blaze uncontrollably, threatening life, livelihood and homesteads.

High commendation must be given to the Fire Department, and on many occasions to the Jamaica Defence Force who, via helicopter, have bucketed water from the Mona Dam to the affected areas. Both entities have always been responsive and efficient within their limited capacity.

In 2007, the addition of some 20 state-of-the-art fire engines were added to the Fire Department fleet. This augurs well for an improved service, with many thanks to 'Sista P's' initiative.

We now have new leadership, committed to change, and the improvement of a host of services. Perhaps a public awareness campaign could be launched by the prime minister on his next monthly talk show programme, decrying the clearing of land by fire, and stressing the threat it poses to life, property and the environment.

The ever-vigilant Diana McCaulay-led Jamaica Environment Trust group would be well advised to further the campaign, which would also help ease the Fire Department's workload and an overburdened public purse.

As reported in the February 13 edition of The Gleaner "... Frome Sugar Estate ends cane burning to meet EU demands ...". This is a most welcome step in the right direction and one which, hopefully, will catch on like wild fire!

I am, etc.,

BEVERLEY BARAKAT

caribbeanoutlets@yahoo.com

Property Development

Consultant

Loshusan Center

29 East Kings House Road

Kingston 6