Does anyone know what is going on with the fire in junction

It has been 1 1/2 weeks and it is still burning. The fire is located on the coast between Lover's Leap and Port Kaiser. This is a very remote area where there are no houses or roads, so it is impossible for an fire apparatus to get to it. There is an unconfirmed report that 2 houses and many acres of farmland with crops have received damage.

Jamaica is suffering a drought right now so there, unfortunately, have been many brush fires all over the island. Rainy season soon come!

IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER: A little boy gazes at billowing smoke from a bush fire in Tryall, St. Elizabeth, last week. Bush fires have been plaguing several parishes across the island since the start of the year.

PARTS OF the nation are ablaze. A severe drought affecting the island has been contributing to dozens of extensive bush fires, leaving acres of charred landscape and dozens of frustrated firefighters in their wake.

At the same time, the Meteorological Office reported yesterday that "no significant increase in rainfall" is likely to occur before May.

A check by The Gleaner yesterday revealed that the problem extends well across the island. From the west to the east, the complaints were all the same.

CRISIS PROPORTIONS

In St. Elizabeth, the problem has neared crisis proportions. Senior Superintendent Dave McLaughlin said bush fires have not let up since the start of the year.

He said in January alone, the division responded to a total of 130 calls, 100 of which were bush fires. He said up to midday on Monday, the number of bush fires recorded for February, stood at 121.

"It is unheard of. We have to be putting calls on hold because of the number of fires and the limited resources. Our firefighters are overworked and tired, but we just have to keep pressing on in the interest of the public. I only wish we had better resources to tackle this problem," said McLaughlin.

Assistant Superintendent Watson of the Savanna-la-Mar Fire Station said massive bush fires have been plaguing the area for weeks.

"We have a very big problem. We have so much bush fires battling because the place is so dry, the fires start so easily. The worst part is that there is no sign of rain," he said.

FIREFIGHTERS KEPT BUSY

At the Annotto Bay Fire Station, the story was similar. When The Gleaner contacted the station, there was no one to speak to our reporter because all firefighters had just left to battle yet another bush fire.

Over in Yallahs, firefighter Ian Williams was livid. "We have been having quite a bit of bush fires in the area. There is a major one that has been raging for two, going on to three weeks now. We haven't had any rain to assist us," he said.

In Port Antonio, firefighters said battling bush fires has almost become a part of their daily routine. They said the most recent occurred only yesterday.

The statement from the Met Office, under the signature of Harry Douglas, the junior minister for water and housing, said the island was currently in the middle of the first dry period for the year.

The statement identified eight parishes that have been experiencing varying degrees of drought for eight consecutive weeks. The areas include Hanover, Westmoreland, St. Elizabeth, Clarendon, St. Thomas, southern Manchester, southern St. Elizabeth and southern Clarendon.

Minister Douglas said the National Water Commission was collecting data with the view of implementing effective measures.