I'm wondering if anyone has any pictures or updates?

I don't have any pictures, but I can tell you driving home from Black River on Tuesday, there was nuff smoke in the air. On the news this morning they reported the fire burned for about 8 hours destroying lots of farmer's crops. The origin of the fire is believed to have been a police operation to burn ganja which got out of control. Minister Tufton is scheduled to come to the affected area this afternoon and see if anything can be done to assist the farmers.

The following is a link to an article on Go Jamaica. I'm currently not able to open the article, but am hoping this is a temporary problem with the server and will be able to access it soon.

http://www.go-jamaica.com/news/read_article.php?id=1199

The link is working for me. Since the article is short, I'll post it here:

http://www.go-jamaica.com/news/read_article.php?id=1199
Posted: 2008-03-05 08:50:40
Source: Gleaner/Power 106 News

Firefighters in St. Elizabeth were still working to put out several bush fires in sections of the parish late last night.

The affected areas are Malvern, Bogue, Barton, Junction and Elgin.

Firemen reportedly began trying to extinguish the fires shortly after 11am. However, the efforts of the firemen were greatly hampered, as only two units from the Junction and Black River fire departments were available.

The fire department also said drought conditions in the parish have been facilitating the spread of the fire.

The department is to determine what caused the fires.

Why not listen to the weather report before starting such a project.Just stand outside and see how strong the wind is blowing is common sense to me. What will happen to these Farmers, will they be compensated.
I think they should....do anyone else agree.

The Jamaica Goverment should do something for these poor famers.I totally agree with you ce-ce

Got this from the gleaner site, 07/03/08.

It just breaks my heart to see the massive damages to people's livelihood. I wasn't aware initially, of the livestock as well.

This is so sad.

Anyway, I think this article makes alot of sense.

Michelle, London

http://www.jamaicagleaner.com/gleaner/20080307/lead/lead2.html

The fire was deliberately set by police, so this is more than a natural disaster, the is arson by the same people that are supposed to be upholding the law.

Where is Big Woods located.The name sounds like a place I have passed many times but, for some reason cannot remember exactly between where and where I saw the sign.

Turn down at Watchwell and head towards Mountainside. When you come to a T in the road if you took a left you would be in Mountainside. Take a right instead and follow that road a few miles and you would be in Big Woods. If you continued on that same road you would come back out on the main road taking you to Crossroads just below the James Private School.

I hope the officers were issued protective masks or did not inhale.

Bush fire affected farmers get $2 million in seeds and fertiliser

MARK CUMMINGS, Observer senior reporter cummingsm@jamaicaobserver.com
Saturday, March 15, 2008



Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton (left) presents Natalie Gordon, a farmer of Bigwoods, St Elizabeth, with vegetable seeds at the Bigwoods Primary School in the parish Thursday. Gordon was among scores of farmers in that community who received vegetable seeds and fertilisers, following damage to their crops by bush fire last week. (Photo: Mark Cummings)
BIGWOODS, St Elizabeth - Agriculture and Lands Minister Dr Christopher Tufton on Thursday made good on a promise he made to farmers affected by bush fire in St Elizabeth just over a week ago, when he presented them with vegetable seeds and fertiliser valued at $2 million.

The minister also presented farmers with goats and advised them that a tractor is being made available by his ministry to clear their lands scorched by the fire.

Just under 90 farmers from several communities, including Ivor Cottage, Bigwoods, Retreat and Retirement, last week Tuesday lost roughly 64 hectares of crops, valued at $26 million, when bush fire swept through the farming communities.

Sixty-four goats, valued at more than $200,000 also perished during the blaze.

The farmers allege that the fire, which took firefighters just under 12 hours to be brought under control, had resulted from narcotics police burning a ganja field in Bigwoods.
Shortly after the fire, Tufton mandated the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) to carry out an assessment of the damage and to present him with a report within two days.

Last Thursday, Tufton, armed with the findings of the assessment, met with the affected farmers at the Bigwoods Primary School and promised to provide assistance to them within one week, in an effort to get them back on their feet.
He also told the farmers that the Police High Command has launched an investigation into the cause of the fire.

In making the presentation to the farmers at Bigwoods Primary on Thursday, Tufton who is also member of parliament for the area, stressed that the assistance should not be construed as compensation for damage done to their crops.

"This is not compensation for the damage done to your crops.
This is not assuming responsibility for the fire, because the truth is that the investigations are still being pursued. In fact, this morning (Thursday) I spoke to the commissioner of police and also the Black River police and the information I was given was that the investigations are going on nicely," Tufton said.

He added that while he was not given a definite time with the investigations will complete, he was hopeful that it will be concluded within another two weeks.

The agriculture minister also used the occasion to commend RADA for its role in providing assistance to the farmers in such a "short time".

"This is the type of RADA I want to see ... working for and on behalf of the farmers, not just in St Elizabeth alone, but the entire county," he said. " RADA has to be quick to be able to respond to the needs of the farmers and they must be efficient at it. And I believe that the RADA team in St Elizabeth has done a great job over the past week, and is worth commending," Tufton said.

Meanwhile, farmers attending the presentation thanked the agriculture minister for successfully making representation on their behalf.

"I would really like to thank the minister for his assistance in giving us the start in such a short time," said Natalie Gordon, who lost more than three acres of crops during the fire.

She noted, however, that much more assistance will be needed to get the affected farmers "fully back on their feet".

It's good to see government serving and concerned about citizenry. Commendations to Minister Tufton for quick response to the people's needs.

Narcotics eradication using fire is irresponsible and the arm of the government responsible for this task must seek alternative controllable and perdictable methods, for example pesticide. Additionally,When the Jamaican government enters into agreements to assist other nations with narcotics/illicit drugs control, they should be negotiating for compensation and alternative crop development and export market sustainability with nations that request Jamaica's assistance with narcotics control. There are similar agreements with Latin American countries for their assistance with coca farmers. That's why most of the produce and other food products sold in the US are imported from Latin America. We are fortunate that human life wasn't lost. Next time might not be that lucky.

While I fully respect your point of view hooked on TB, and without getting into why the so called war on drugs is illadvised, I must disagree with your idea of using "chemicals". I would suggest that you consider the negative ramifications that go along with that suggestion. Keep in mind that this is primarily a farming area, i.e. what good will the soil be after such an application?

Doesn't anyone remember paraquat? I always wondered how many people it killed when the Mexican government sprayed it on the ganga crops and farmers immediately harvested it and sold it because it was all drying up and they needed to move it quickly. There needs to be a good way for farmers to make the same amount of money on alternative crops. Or ganga needs to be legalized in the US but it never will.

I am not suggesting that artificial pesticides are the only solution but am suggesting that an alternative to fire must be found because fire used in a dry area, such as St. Bess can lead to uncontrollable brush fires that may result in lives lost( livestock and human). There are organic pesticides, insects can be used, the government should investigatesalternative that best suits the terrain. Jamaica already seems to be engaged in a policy of aiding other nations in their war on drugs. With that being the case; farmers must be given viable alternative crops that will be profitable to grow, eliminating or reducing the need to farm ganja/marijuana/cannabis for economic reasons. Otherwise, what motivation is there for farmers to stop farming ganja which is what sustains them economically?

What food crop grows in Jamaica that is not profitable to grow and sell either locally or for export , i recently saw a bumper sticker and it says no farmers no food , every food crop grown is important to the continuation of life bear in mind every year so much farm land is disapearing to residential and commercial development all over the world , my hat off to every farmer.